The European Commission has deployed an Election Assessment Team (EAT) to Iraq to assess and analyse the upcoming Council of Representatives elections to be held on 7 March 2010.
The EAT consists of 16 electoral and logistics experts, and operates out of three locations: Baghdad, Erbil and Basra. The electoral experts arrived in Iraq on the 2. February and will remain in country until the end of March.
The EAT’s objective is to provide continuous strategic analysis and reporting on the ongoing electoral processes and to strengthen the voters’ confidence to participate freely.
The EAT will provide targeted, short, medium and long-term recommendations in order to improve the electoral framework and conduct of electoral operations. The recommendations will be shared with the government of Iraq, the IHEC and other relevant stakeholders.
A final report with the EATs findings will be presented to the EU institutions and to the Iraqi authorities several weeks after the completion of the electoral process.
The EAT will work independently to assess and analyse the electoral process against international standards and principles for genuine democratic elections.
The purpose of an EAT is to demonstrate European Union’s commitment to support democracy around the world. It provides support for the development of the country’s democratic institutions and procedures, and assists partner countries in their objective to hold elections of a high standard.
In this context, the EAT conducts continuous strategic analysis and reporting on the ongoing electoral processes, during and after the elections, and provides an impartial and informed assessment of the elections to enhancing transparency and confidence in the electoral process in the country.
The EAT is led by a Team Leader supported by a team of 10 – 16 Election, Legal, Media, Security and Operational Analysts that are deployed in key locations within the country about four or six weeks prior to election day and two weeks after election day.
The EAT assesses the entire electoral process (pre-election, election and post-election period) against international standards and principles for genuine democratic elections and provides targeted, short, medium and long-term recommendations aimed at improving the electoral framework and conduct of electoral operations.
The EAT provides continuous strategic analysis and reporting on the ongoing electoral processes to the EU Institutions and to the Member-States. The preliminary findings and recommendations will be shared with the local Electoral Management Body and other relevant stakeholders at different stages.
The EAT produces periodic internal interim reports and ad hoc papers which are issued mainly to international and national institutions. A comprehensive final report, which will include a series of recommendations for improvements to the overall electoral process and democratic environment, will be made public and issued to local electoral stakeholders.
The Election Assessment Team assesses and analysis several aspects of the electoral process, including the constitutional and electoral framework, the role of the electoral management body, the registration of voters and candidates; media coverage, the political campaign, the preparations for election day, civil and political rights, civil society, voting, counting, tabulation and publication of results, as well as the complaints and appeals process.
