Election Observation

The most important international organisations with election observation activities are the United Nations (UN), the Euroepan Union (EU) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

UN Election Observation

In connection to elections the UN mainly provides electoral assistance. This activity also includes election observation. Further information: www.un.org/Depts/dpa/ead/eadhome.htm.

EU Election Observation: Part of the European Security and Defence Policy

The European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP)has three different objectives; 1) military and 2) civil capabilities for crisis management and 3) conflict prevention. EU developes civilian crisis management on four main areas that are mutually dependent. These areas are

  • police cooperation: possibility of providing up to 5 000 policemen (including 1 000 within 30 days) for tasks ranging from restoring order in cooperation with a military force to the training of local police;
  • strengthening the rule of law: possibility of providing up to 200 judges, prosecutors and other experts in the field for various tasks;
  • civilian administration: possibility of providing a team to establish or guarantee elections, taxation, education, water provision etc.;
  • civil protection: possibility of assisting humanitarian actors, e.g. through emergency operations.

Further information: www.europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/r10105.htm.

OSCE Election Monitoring

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is an organisation with 55 participating states, all of which have the same status. The member states include European, North American countries, as well as former Soviet Union countries in the Caucasus and Central Asia. The OSCE deals with a wide range of security-related issues including arms control, preventive diplomacy, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, democratisation, election monitoring and economic and environmental security.
Further information: www.osce.org.

Involvement in election observation tasks

In Finland participation in international election observation activities is co-ordinated by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Contact information:

  • Election observation activities in general: Political Department, Unit for OSCE, Council of Europe and Civilian Crisis Management, e-mail: POL-08@formin.fi and
  • Election observation activities in developing countries: Department for International Development Cooperation, e-mail: KEO-32@formin.fi.