On election day, six Congress teams, representing 13 observers, were deployed in mobile teams in seven out of the 10 municipalities holding elections on 29 March 2026 and visited more than 75 polling stations from opening to closing and counting. The Congress of the Council of Europe, invited by the Serbian authorities, was the only international organisation with election observation expertise and mandate to observe these elections.
Prior to the on-site mission, the delegation held meetings on 27-28 March with a diverse range of interlocutors, including national authorities, representatives of the international community, media and NGOs. It also held discussions with representatives of lists standing in the elections. The delegation appreciated the willingness of all stakeholders to exchange and the opportunity to observe local elections for the eighth time in Serbia.
Yesterday, the delegation observed procedures inside polling stations often largely in line with provisions but was alarmed by the situation outside the premises. Congress observers witnessed acts of violence, notably in Aranđelovac, and in all but one of the municipalities visited, saw heated arguments and the threatening presence of large groups of people, often unidentified and sometimes masked. In the context of the elections, multiple parties have alleged that violence has been directed against them, including the ruling party. Violence and coercion are unacceptable barriers to the free expression of the will of all voters. No voter should feel threatened when exercising his or her democratic right. The Congress delegation also heard first-hand account of an attack on reputable domestic observers.
In addition, a number of irregularities, related to breaches of voting secrecy and voters taking photos of their ballot papers, was also highly worrying and Commissioners' responses to these cases were uneven. A range of procedural inconsistencies underlined the need for professionalisation of the work of the polling boards and Municipal Election Commissions. As the administration of local elections is highly decentralised, the delegation therefore encourages the authorities to continue the work initiated on amendments to make training compulsory, in order to provide for standardised procedures and enforcement.
The delegation also noted many cases of overcrowding in small polling stations. Election staff often appeared unclear as to their tasks and responsibilities, especially during opening and counting. To strengthen trust, further integrity safeguards are needed and could take the shape of numbered ballot box seals, pro-active voter information, clear procedures, notably on counting procedures, taking of photos, the use of ink and UV lamps and dedicated training to enforce such rules.
At the same time, positive steps have been taken to address concerns about the integrity of the electoral register, a 2022 Congress recommendation. The delegation welcomes the authorities' decision to establish a Commission, comprising opposition and civil society members, to take this forward. The delegation hopes that it will become fully operational soon, and work in an efficient, transparent and democratic way in order to maximise public trust in the register.
Turning to the pre-election period, the delegation found that the campaign offered political alternatives and candidates could campaign freely, but it was highly polarised and focused on national priorities and actors. The delegation was concerned to see a deterioration of the campaigning environment compared to 2022, and a still less level playing field. Over the course of the preliminary meetings, the Congress observers were informed by NGOs about the omnipresence of national-level officials on the campaign trail and of important disparities in campaign spending. NGOs and independent media also reported allegations of pressure on employees and voters, vote buying and misuse of administrative resources and official positions. These claims were denied by representatives of the authorities.
The blurring of the line between State, local authorities and the ruling party has further intensified since the last Congress' visit in 2022. As a result, local topics and programmes were mostly overshadowed, to the detriment of local democracy.
The media coverage of the campaign was described to the observers as unbalanced, resulting in limited airtime dedicated for opposition voices, while independent media watchdogs reported threats and attacks on journalists during this period. The state of local media, negatively affected by ownership concentration and self-censorship, also requires urgent attention. Lack of access to independent television networks, particularly outside major cities, is a matter of regret.
A more inclusive approach is required in order to address polarisation and reinforce trust in elections. The delegation found that the participation of youth in local affairs, regardless of their political affiliations, should be encouraged, welcoming their willingness to take part as voters, candidates and observers. The delegation also welcomed the application of gender representation quotas which promoted the political participation of women.
All concerns noted above were heightened by the perception that some enforcement bodies were not sufficiently prompt or proactive in their response to these matters. This may have limited opportunities for individuals to access effective and timely redress. The delegation believed that rule of law should be thoroughly applied during the campaign and on election day. Similarly, where citizens and NGOs raise concerns with the authorities, these should be fully investigated and, where there is credible evidence, there should be due process and sanctions.
Moving forward, the delegation recommends that the authorities examine the possibility for a single election cycle for local elections, to reduce risks of electoral tourism, the state of constant campaigning and allow for a country-wide emphasis on local democracy.
Finally, as the Congress is one of the endorsers the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation (DoP), the delegation was appalled to see on the ground the proliferation of pseudo-observers, with other 6500 individuals accredited, many of them from organisations with no-track record or methodology and some not displaying accreditation and at times exercising varying and excessive degrees of influence. Similarly, candidate lists appeared to be established to intentionally confuse voters by using names close to those of other opposition lists and to gain seats on polling boards. These new and negative developments should be addressed as priority.
A 13-member election observation delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, led by Mr Emvin Bartolo (Malta, EPP/CCE), concluded its mission to observe the partial elections in 10 municipalities of Serbia (Smederevska Palanka, Bajina Bašta, Kula, Lučani, Arandjelovac, Kladovo, Knjazevac, Majdanpek, and Sevojno) on Sunday 29 March 2026.
Further to the Congress mission, a draft recommendation will be discussed at the Congress session in October 2026 in Strasbourg (France).
