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Review of electoral administration training with Central Election Commission trainers in Albania
The analysis “Electoral Administration Trainings: Challenges and Practical Solutions - Dialogue with Trainers” was concluded on 30-31 May 2026, bringing together certified electoral trainers...
Strengthening election reporting in the age of disinformation and AI
Strengthening professional, accurate and balanced reporting during elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina was the focus of a two-day training for media professionals dedicated to reporting on...
Parliamentary Assembly to observe the parliamentary elections in Armenia
A 22-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), headed by Damien Cottier (Switzerland, ALDE), will travel to Armenia from 5 to 8 June to observe the parliamentary elections alongside observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the European Parliament and...
Parliamentary Assembly to observe the early elections to the Kosovo* Assembly
A seven-member delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), headed by Iulian Bulai (Romania, ALDE), will travel to Kosovo from 5 to 8 June to observe the early elections to the Kosovo Assembly on 7 June. The delegation is due to meet representatives from the Office of...
Advancing electoral training and education in Albania
On 25 May 2026, national stakeholders and international partners gathered in Tirana at the consultative roundtable co-organized by the Council of Europe and the Central Election Commission,...
BRIDGE: Advancing excellence in Albanian elections
On 18-19 May 2026, members and senior staff of the Central Election Commission took part in the BRIDGE Showcase on Building Institutional Excellence in Elections. The workshop aimed to...
Strengthening transparency and integrity in election-related public procurement in Bosnia and Herzegovina
16 staff members of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina broadened their understanding of public procurement rules and procedures during a training programme in Neum on...
First Iceland election observation mission by Congress welcomes well-run process and efficient integrity measures
Reykjavik, 17.05.2026 – Commenting on the overall mission, Mélanie Lepoultier (France, ILDG), Head of delegation, noted: “The seven Congress teams deployed across the country observed...
Council of Europe empowers future women political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Twenty women from Bosnia and Herzegovina who plan to run in elections, or who have previously run but were not elected, completed the first Council of Europe Academy for Women Candidates, a...
Strengthening Moldovan Magistrates’ Expertise in Electoral Dispute Resolution
More than 35 judges, prosecutors, and electoral officials from the Republic of Moldova further enhanced their ability to resolve electoral disputes by participating in a training session...
Armenia’s elections must not be endangered by foreign interference and a level playing field for all contestants is essential, says PACE pre-electoral delegation in Yerevan
Following a two-day visit to Yerevan on 11 and 12 May 2026, a pre-electoral delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)* has emphasised the importance of conducting the 7 June 2026 parliamentary elections in an environment free from fear, undue foreign influence and...
Council of Europe Congress to observe local elections in Iceland
A 15-member delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe will carry out an election observation mission from 13 to 17 May, to observe the local elections taking place on 16 May 2026 in Iceland. On election day, seven teams will be deployed throughout the...
Well-organised and inclusive electoral procedures for first Council of Europe Congress observation mission in the United Kingdom
London, 08.05. 2026 – Commenting on the overall mission to observe elections in the United Kingdom held on 7 May 2026, Head of the delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities...
PACE delegation makes pre-electoral visit to Armenia
A seven-member delegation from PACE, led by Damien Cottier (Switzerland, EPP/CD), will make a pre-electoral visit to Armenia on 11-12 May to assess the election campaign and political climate prior to the parliamentary elections on 7 June.
Pablo Hispán: our ‘Paris Call to Action’ sends a strong message to member states and all electoral stakeholders to guarantee and protect electoral observation
“Free and fair elections are fundamental for our democracies – and credible election observation is essential to safeguarding them. It is a key part of the response to democratic backsliding and the growing loss of trust among voters,” today said Pablo Hispán (Spain, EPP/CD), Chair of the Council...
President of the Venice Commission: "Election observation is a powerful instrument for maintaining, renovating and reconstructing trust. Election observers are both the watchdogs of electoral integrity and democracy and human rights defenders."
Paris, France 29 April 2026 “We meet at a crucial moment for democracy in Europe and beyond. This discussion forms part of the broader vision of the New Democratic Pact for Europe of the Council of Europe
Joint debate on election observation: Shortcomings observed in an election often reveal wider problems
Election observation – whether at national, local or regional level – helps to safeguard the integrity of elections. However, it is increasingly facing obstacles in many countries. Organised...
PACE President: ‘We must ensure that election observers are given the status, the protection and the means they need to fulfil their role’
For more than thirty years, “the Assembly together with the Venice Commission and the Congress has not only monitored elections. We have helped shape electoral legislation, guided democratic reforms, and strengthened public trust in democratic institutions,” said PACE President Petra Bayr today...
Election observation is about confidence in fair processes and trusted democratic institutions, says Congress President
From left to right: Congress President Gunn Marit Helgesen, PACE President Petra Bayr and Venice Commission President Marta Cartabia “Democracy does not begin in institutions, it begins with...
*Ogni riferimento al Kosovo, che si tratti del territorio, delle istituzioni o della popolazione, deve essere inteso nel pieno rispetto della Risoluzione 1244 del Consiglio di sicurezza dell’Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite, fatto salvo lo status del Kosovo.