Brussels, 16 April 2026. Election-Watch.EU contributed to a stakeholder consultation on Safety in Political Life, organised by the European Commission as part of the follow-up work under the European Democracy Shield. The session preceded the adoption of a Commission Recommendation on safety in politics, and supported the preparation of a dedicated guide of best practices aimed at ensuring the safety of political candidates and elected representatives.
The consultation addressed the escalating [...]
election security, electoral violence risk, gender-based violence, inclusion in elections, safety in policial life, transparency of political campaign
Brussels, 16 April 2026: Election-Watch.EU participated in a stakeholder consultation on AI in Electoral Processes, organised by the European Commission’s DG JUST in the context of follow-up work under the European Democracy Shield. The consultation supported the development of upcoming guidance intended to ensure the fair, transparent, human-centred, and responsible use of AI in electoral processes.
The session addressed the multifaceted impact of AI on democratic [...]
AI challenges and opportunities in elections, bots, deepfakes, fundamental rights risk assessment, micro-targeting
Election-Watch.EU is happy to welcome two new colleagues who recently joined the team. Their expertise will directly support the successful implementation of our latest project, the Network for Engagement, Electoral Democracy and Standards in the EU (NEEDS EU).
Achilleas Stergiou joined as Administrative and Finance Officer and leads the financial oversight and operational compliance for the NEEDS EU project. Working under the EU’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) [...]
democracy, election obervation, NEEDS EU, observer accreditation, transparency
On the International Fact-Checking Day, Election-Watch.EU recognises the essential role of fact-checkers in safeguarding democratic discourse and processes. Yet, in today’s complex information environment, fact-checking alone is no longer sufficient.
Disinformation, and more broadly Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), operates across platforms, borders, and narratives. It evolves rapidly, often exploiting moments of political sensitivity such as elections. Protecting [...]
Vienna, Brussels, 27 March 2026: Election-Watch.EU is pleased to announce the launch of the Network for Engagement, Electoral Democracy and Standards in the EU (NEEDS EU). This multi-year initiative is designed to reinforce European democratic resilience by enhancing the integrity, inclusivity, and transparency of electoral processes across the 27 EU Member States.
The project builds on the outcomes of the Election Assessment Missions [...]
2024 EP elections, 2029 EP elections, accountability, citizen led election observation, election observation, election observer recognition, EP elections 2024, inclusion in elections, NEEDS EU, observer accreditation, transparency
Vienna, 13 March 2026: Election-Watch.EU is committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and well-being of children and young people in all activities we organise or support. Election-Watch.EU has established a Child Protection Policy with clear standards to prevent harm, safeguard personal data, and promote safe participation in events, campaigns, and educational initiatives.
This commitment is particularly relevant when engaging with young and first-time voters, for [...]
2024 EP elections, accountability, citizen led election observation, data protection in elections, EP elections 2024, inclusion in elections, transparency, transparency of political campaign
European Union,General,International
Brussels, 12 February 2026: Election-Watch.EU participated in the CERV programme kick-off meeting organised by the European Commission (EC) in Brussels, bringing together organisations implementing projects under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme. Besides learning more about the administration of the CERV project the EC provided more insight into the strategic context of EU democracy support, including recent policy developments [...]
centre for democratic resilience, CERV, citizen led election observation, Civil Society, democracy shield, European Commission, inclusion in elections
European Union,General,International
Strasbourg, 18 February 2026: Election-Watch.EU has submitted a policy contribution to the consultation process surrounding the Council of Europe’s New Democratic Pact for Europe, responding to the challenges identified in the 2025 Report of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on democratic resilience across Europe.
Our submission highlights the central role of electoral integrity as a cornerstone of democratic legitimacy. [...]
accountability, citizen led election observation, Council of Europe, election security, European elections, inclusion in elections, transparency, transparency of political campaign
Brussels, 10 February 2026: Election-Watch.EU submitted a written contribution to Members of the European Parliament’s Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield, in response to the draft report on its findings and recommendations, published in December 2025.
The submission highlights the importance of emphasising the importance of electoral integrity in the European Democracy Shield framework, particularly in the context [...]
citizen led election observation, data protection in elections, election security, equality, eu strategy for civil society, european democracy shield, inclusion in elections, transparency, transparency of political campaign