Brussels, 14 May 2026. Election-Watch.EU has submitted its written contribution to the European Commission’s Targeted stakeholder consultation – European Democracy Shield Work strands on Safety in politics, AI in electoral processes and anti-SLAPPs. This submission follows our participation in the focus group discussions on Safety in Politics and AI in Electoral Processes held on 16 April 2026, and reflects expert insights into these two work strands of the European Democracy Shield.
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AI and elections, election security, European Commission, Political violence, safety in policial life
Today, 9 May, Europe Day is celebrated, marking the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration. On this day in 1950, Robert Schuman proposed a vision that moved beyond national competition toward a shared future of supranational cooperation. There is no better moment than this to reflect on the ongoing development and the resilience of the European electoral project.
76 years after Schuman’s vision was first shared, the European Parliament elections have grown into [...]
Brussels, 29 April 2026. Election-Watch.EU hosted the first Expert Group Meeting under the NEEDS EU project. The session focused on advancing discussions on observer accreditation procedures and identifying good practices to enhance election observer access across the 27 EU Member States.
At Election-Watch.EU, we believe that election observation [...]
election obervation, European elections, featured-en, NEEDS EU, observer accreditation
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, featured-en, 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
