About the Mission

Structure of the mission

The Election Observation Mission of the EU (EU OM) in the Democratic Republic of Congo is led by the Chief Observer Mariya Nedelcheva, European MP, and Head of a core team of 9 experts from 5 UE Member States. In the field, the Mission is made up of 138 observers: 46 long-term observers (LTOs) deployed from October 24, 2011 and 92 short-term observers (STOs and OLCT) who are deployed in the days preceding the election.

The observers are from 27 EU Member States, as well as Norway, Canada and Switzerland. They follow together a five-day training in Kinshasa, on political, cultural, and electoral specificities of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are then deployed across the country to observe the different stages of the electoral process.

The mandate of the Election Observation Mission in D. R. Congo

The EU Election Observation Mission aims to promote democracy and human rights in a spirit of cooperation with partner countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The deployment of election observers is a means to support these countries in the organization of quality elections and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process. The EU EOM also helps to assess the state of democratic development during their mission. Based on the observers' report, the executive team analyzes the process at different levels, namely electoral, political, legal and media.

It analyzes the work of the election administration, the political context and the monitoring of campaign-related issues. It also provides an analysis of the legal process, following the evolution of litigation, and observes media behavior, of which it analyzes the role before, during and after the election.

The basic principles of a EU EOM are outlined in a communication from the European Commission on electoral assistance and observation.

"International election observation is based on the principles of thorough observation, impartiality, transparency and professionalism. The ultimate goal is to make the observation unnecessary by instilling democratic principles into every nation through development means at national level. It also seeks to legitimize the electoral process, if necessary, to strengthen public confidence in them, to deter fraud, strengthen respect for human rights and contribute to conflict resolution. "

Communication of the European Commission on EU Election Assistance and Observation missions , Brussels, April 11, 2000, COM (2000) 191 final

Election Observation Missions' Methodology

The European Union has developed a method of observation based on the following principles:

• exhaustive observation of the electoral process based on international electoral standards
• the independence of the EU Election Observation Mission
• non-interference in the electoral process
• Observers' impartiality
• respect of a code of conduct and national laws

This methodology makes it possible to cover the different stages of the electoral process: pre-election, electoral campaign period, election day, counting, aggregation and publication of results, follow up of electoral disputes, evaluation of the electoral process as a whole.

To assess the electoral process, the EU EOM observes and analyses:

• impartiality of election administration
• the level of freedom granted to different political actors in their election campaigns
• the balanced distribution of public funds allocated for election
• equal access of political parties and candidates to the media
• voters' level of freedom of expression
• the running of polling stations;
• consolidation of the election results;
• impartial and prompt litigation resolution
• Any other issue relating to the democratic nature of elections (violence during the campaign, legislative framework, electoral system, etc.).

During the observation period, regular meetings are held with electoral institutions, political parties, candidates, civil society and the media.

In nearly 20 years, more than 70 EU EOMs have been deployed around the world: Democratic Republic of Congo, Sri Lanka, Togo, Tanzania, Guyana, Zimbabwe, Peru, Nicaragua, Ivory Coast, Palestinian Territories, Indonesia, Bangladesh, East Timor, Suriname, Cambodia, South Africa, Pakistan, Madagascar, Ecuador, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Guatemala, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau, Uganda, Afghanistan, Bolivia, Yemen, etc.. All the EU EOM are funded by European budgets.