20th Commemoration of Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation in Geneva

20th Commemoration of Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation in Geneva

12 Dec , 2025

Geneva, 10-12 December 2025: The 2025 Declaration of Principles (DoP) Implementation Meeting, hosted by the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, brought together international and citizen election observers, multilateral organisations, regional bodies, and digital-platform representatives to assess the state of election observation amid growing democratic pressure.

Election-Watch.EU has been an endorsing member organisation of the DoP since 2024 and participated for the first time in the DoP meeting hosted by OSCE/ODIHR in Gdańsk/Poland last year (see here). On this occasion, Election-Watch.EU invited Beata Martin-Rozumilowicz, former IFES Regional Director Europe/Eurasia and former Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Department, as a featured speaker. She delivered a presentation on “New Tools for Election Observation”, focusing on lessons learned from the growing impact of illicit political finance, emerging cyber security threats, and challenges related to information integrity, including countering Foreign Information Manipulation & Interference (FIMI). Further, Armin Rabitsch, Michael Lidauer (as part of EPD), and Markus Pollak participated at this year’s 20th DoP commemoration at the UN in Geneva/Switzerland.

Participants agreed that democracy and electoral integrity are under sustained attack, both from within political systems and through external interference.

However, election observation remains a democratic duty, election observers have been acknowledged as human rights defenders by the UN, however election observation is increasingly challenged by shrinking civic space, declining funding, security risks, and rapidly evolving digital threats.

Key themes included:

Pressure on election observation: A global decline in openness to international observers, increasing intimidation, and reduced resources are forcing observer missions to “do more with less” while operating in more hostile environments.
Digital and information integrity threats: Disinformation, foreign information manipulation, AI-generated content, online harassment (especially targeting women), opaque political advertising, and encrypted messaging platforms are reshaping electoral risks. Observers must adapt methodologies and skills to monitor the digital information space.
Platform accountability and access to data: While platforms presented new tools and transparency mechanisms, observers highlighted persistent gaps in timely data access, accountability, and meaningful cooperation—especially outside the EU regulatory framework.
Central role of citizen observers: Domestic observers were repeatedly recognised as irreplaceable long-term guardians of electoral integrity, particularly for detecting early disinformation narratives, monitoring campaign finance, and following up on recommendations.
Polarisation and trust deficits: Hyper-polarisation, identity politics, and contested narratives increasingly undermine acceptance of electoral outcomes and discredit observer missions themselves, demanding stronger communication, solidarity, and methodological clarity.
Security and duty of care: Observer safety has become a core operational concern, with missions facing violence, intimidation, internet shutdowns, and sudden political crises.
Future of election observation: With funding declining sharply (including major cuts to US-based support), participants called for greater cooperation, joint and hybrid missions, prioritisation based on risk, and renewed commitment to the DoP’s core principles, namely non-partisanship, impartiality, transparency, and professionalism.

Overall, the meeting reaffirmed the continued relevance of the DoP as both a normative anchor and a practical framework, while stressing the need for adaptation, collective action, and solidarity to protect election observation as a global public good.