Mapping Legislation for Citizen and International Election Observation in Europe: A Comparative Analysis on the Basis of OSCE/ODIHR Reports

Abstract

ABSTRACTElection observation has become a common practice in international politics and is widely perceived as an instrument to maintain and safeguard electoral integrity. International and citizen election observation practices developed in parallel to provide scrutiny of electoral processes from various perspectives, and both are based on international obligations, standards, and commitments. This article analyses whether international and citizen observation is actually possible and encouraged in states with broadly perceived electoral integrity that promote election observation in other countries. The 1990 OSCE’s Copenhagen Document, which all participating states have committed to, recommends both international and citizen election observation. International election observation activities by the OSCE/ODIHR have been increasingly dedicated to European countries with established traditions of holding democratic elections. The comparative analysis offered in this article is based on 200 OSCE/ODIHR reports on 32 countries, including all EU member states, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey. The comparison shows that 27 of the 32 countries have, to date, not fully considered or implemented the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations for accreditation and legal status of election observers. Only in the cases of Croatia, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Romania, does OSCE/ODIHR recognise full compliance with OSCE commitments.