Commenting on the overall mission to observe local and regional elections in Sweden on 13 September 2026, Marcin Golaszewski (Poland, EPP/CCE), Head of delegation, noted:
“The seven Congress teams deployed across the country observed well-organised and transparent elections, with simple and uniform procedures managed by highly committed and well-trained polling station commissioners. In the more than 90 polling stations visited, from opening to counting, the atmosphere was positive with no major incidents or anomalies reported.
“As reflected in the high preliminary turnout of 80%, which is rarely reached in other member States, we welcomed the strong trust in the election administration and in the electoral system in Sweden. Our delegation was also unanimously impressed by the advanced voting procedure and the right to “regret” one’s vote by replacing it on election day. These arrangements provided residents with many opportunities to vote on election day and in advance.
“Regarding election day procedures, despite our overall positive assessment, we noted a few areas for improvement, notably on the difficulty of concealing a voter’s choice between the area where ballot papers were collected and the area where they were placed in envelopes, making their choice apparent as they moved around the premises. Additional safeguards to protect the integrity and the secrecy of the vote could be envisaged, particularly when ballot papers are placed outside or shared between several polling stations.
“Moreover, our teams observed some long queues, including for early voting, and lengthy delays in the delivery of postal votes to polling station staff, as well as some voter confusion in premises hosting several polling stations. The presence of party representatives handing out ballot papers at the entrance to polling stations was generally respectful, although in very few cases more insistent. Consideration could be given to establishing a zone free from campaigning in the immediate surroundings of polling stations.
“Turning to the pre-election period, we welcomed the highly competitive campaign, with many parties and candidates, including women, standing in elections at all three levels of government. However, the campaign was perceived as increasingly polarised and marked by harsher exchanges between party leaders and by a more common denigration of journalists’ work, a worrying situation rarely witnessed in Swedish politics. At the same time, no systematic disinformation campaign was reported, and the Swedish authorities, media and public appeared well equipped to counter foreign influence.”
“Despite efforts from local actors and the media to provide all voters with fair and balanced information, holding these three elections on the same day contributed to overshadowing local and, particularly, regional issues. This was reinforced by the impression that not all voters were fully aware of the responsibilities of the different levels of government. An in-depth reflection on the possibility of holding elections on separate days, carefully assessing the advantages and risks, could be considered.
“In addition, as the Congress often notes, more could be done to improve campaign finance oversight and regulation, as the current system does not fully ensure voter information or a level playing field among competitors. Our delegation welcomed the recent amendments banning anonymous and foreign donations and expanding reporting obligations to cover party expenditure, which will enter into force in 2027. While acknowledging the importance of party autonomy in Sweden, we concluded that more could be done to ensure that voters have access to this information in a timely manner. We also found that caps on donations, stronger oversight and more dissuasive sanctions would strengthen the system’s transparency and accountability.
“Overall, yesterday’s election demonstrated Sweden’s strong tradition of local and regional democracy. We were particularly impressed by the high number of young voters, activists and candidates involved in local democracy. Such commitment bodes well for the future of local self-government in Sweden and should be fostered.
“Finally, we would like to thank the authorities of Sweden for their openness in reflecting on their electoral processes in the light of European electoral standards. We also would like to thank the election administration for facilitating the accreditation of observers and openly engaging with us, even in the most isolated polling stations. We remain available for future cooperation in the matters highlighted above.”
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A 15-observer delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, led by Marcin Golaszewski (Poland, EPP/CCE), Head of Delegation, and Aisling Moran, Deputy-head (Ireland, SOC/G/PD), concluded its mission to observe the local and regional elections in Sweden, held on Saturday 13 September 2026. This was the first time that the Congress observed elections in Sweden.
Prior to election day, the delegation held meetings on 11 and 12 September 2026 with key stakeholders involved in the elections, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps, the media, and civil society. The delegation also held discussions with political parties and candidates running in the 2026 elections.
Further to the Congress mission, a draft recommendation will be discussed at the Congress session in March 2027 in Strasbourg (France)..
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Observing local and regional elections is one of the statutory activities of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. This activity complements the political monitoring of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which constitutes the cornerstone of local and regional democracy in Europe. It contributes to ensuring the integrity of elections and building voters’ confidence at grassroots’ level. Since 1990, the Congress has conducted about 140 election observation missions in some of the 46 Council of Europe member states and beyond.
