Election Observation Missions: efforts made to follow up recommendations but better monitoring needed

​More work is needed to help countries implement recommendations made by EU election observers, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors. The way the recommendations are presented has improved in recent years, say the auditors, but more consultation with local stakeholders on the ground is needed during their preparation.

Without interfering in the organisation of the election itself, EU election observers collect and analyse facts concerning the election process and provide an independent assessment. Two months after Election Day, they issue a comprehensive report with recommendations on how to improve the framework for future elections. The recommendations cover issues ranging from voter registration to electoral violence. They are presented to the host country authorities, which are not formally committed to implementing them.

The auditors assessed whether the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission had provided enough support for host countries to implement the recommendations made by observation missions in Ghana, Jordan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka. They focused on elections observed after 2010.

“It is essential to follow up these recommendations to maximise the impact of election observation,” said Ville Itälä, the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the report. “If a host country does not address electoral shortcomings, there is a risk that weaknesses will remain and even increase ahead of future elections”.