Federica Mogherini
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Afairs and Security Policy
Vice-President of the Commission
EEAS
The support to democracy worldwide is not just consistent with the European Union’s fundamental principles: it is our clear interest, and a crucial tool for our foreign policy.
Our neighbourhood’s recent history tells us that authoritarian States can only be stable for so long. Only a functioning democracy can address its citizens needs, meet their demands, fulfil their aspirations. Strong democratic institutions are vital to improve a country’s resilience: they can help prevent the next crisis, stabilise a war-torn area
or defuse tensions before they erupt into armed conflict.
An efective democratic system needs regular, inclusive, transparent and credible elections. This is why the European Union’s election observation missions and the election assistance programmes are a fundamental part of our action to promote
democracies, human rights and civil society participation worldwide.
The images of voters getting out of the polls – their forefingers marked with dark ink – have generated great hopes in many countries around the world. Still, the quality of an electoral competition has to be continuously re-assessed and improved: democracy will remain incomplete without a level playing field, a fair competition between candidates, freedom of expression, of assembly and association, the respect for human rights and a neutral and independent election
management body, endowed with adequate resources to efciently administer the electoral process. A vibrant civil society and diverse media landscape are also essential pre-requisites. Electoral observation is not just the task of one day.
For this reason the European External Action Service, the Council, the Commission and Member States are committed to a systematic follow-up to recommendations contained in reports by EU Election Observation Missions as well as other reputable election observation groups, such as OSCE/ODIHR: it is the whole electoral cycle that matters. The EU’s New Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (2015-2019) further emphasises the need to consolidate best practices to ensure efective follow-up to Observation Missions. Our challenge in the coming years will be to strengthen the link with the wider democracy support.
The spirit that drives us is not one of ‘exporting democracy’. We have learnt the hard way that real change can only spark from each and every society, and cannot be simply imported from the outside. Our approach must never be patronising. Democracy is never a fait accompli: in fact, the EU Member States systematically invite the OSCE/ODIHR to observe their own elections. No electoral process is perfect and all countries can benefit from the presence of external and independent observers.
Our commitment to supporting democracy and fair elections worldwide must always be based on mutual respect and on partnership. The role of domestic observer groups – working for increased transparency and integrity of electoral processes
in their own country – is invaluable. At the same time, EU Election Observation Missions enhance our engagement with partner countries, including in support of their eforts to fulfil their international human rights obligations. And through the years the EU has built up a strong legacy as a reliable partner for democratic consolidation, a partner who can truly be trusted. Our Observation Missions apply with rigour the highest standards of professional integrity and independence.
This has also become possible thanks to the leadership of the Chief Observers, who are usually Members of the European Parliament, and the constant support by EU Member States and all EU institutions. Their work – in cooperation with
the observers, the experts and the support staf – contributes to making the EU a strong and principled actor on the global stage.
In 2005 we adopted, under the auspices of the United Nations, the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. Since then an ever-growing number of international and regional observer groups have endorsed this document,
which has become the golden standard for credible and professional international election observation. Engaged from the outset in the elaboration of these principles, the EU has recommitted to the Declaration of Principles with the adoption in July 2015 of its second EU Action Plan for Human Rights and Democracy, just as we were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Declaration. The EU will continue to closely cooperate with all international observer groups that wish to faithfully implement the Declaration.
This third edition of the Handbook for European Union Election Observation re-flects the EU’s long standing commitment to supporting democratic and inclusive elections around the world. Enriched with new sections addressing new and emerging topics, such as campaign finance and the rights of people with disabilities, this handbook is the main tool for EU election observers, and a wider public interested in democratic elections. But this is also an important building bloc for our external action: for a more democratic and stable neighbourhood, for inclusive and open societies, for an EU foreign policy truly consistent with our values.
HEUEO
EUEA
EODS
Belgium - Brussels 2016
Algériennes, Algériens du Monde, à nous de dire dans quelle Algérie nous voulons vivre, à nous de choisir, à nous d’agir ! Vive l'Algérie ! Vive le Peuple Algérien ! Vive notre Président Monsieur Ali Benflis ! Gloire à Nos Martyrs ! Club des Benflissistes
