Following an invitation from the Government of the Federal Republic of Zambia, the European Union has established a mission to observe the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Zambia, scheduled for 20 September 2011.
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) is led by Maria Muñiz De Urquiza, a Spanish member of the European Parliament.
A core team of eight election analysts, from seven different EU member states, arrived in Lusaka on August 12 to set up and co-ordinate the Election Observation Mission. They analyse the entire electoral process, including electoral, legal, political and media aspects.
A group of 24 long-term observers (ltos) has been deployed across the country to observe the electoral process in their area of responsibility and report back to the core team in Lusaka.
A group of 56 short-term observers (stos) will join the mission shortly before the elections to observe voting and counting in polling stations, together with all the other observers. The observers are from 23 EU member states and Norway. The mission will also be joined by an official election observation delegation from the European Parliament.
The role of European election observation
The purpose of EU EOMs around the world is to provide support for the development of a country's democratic institutions and procedures, and to assist partner countries in their objective to hold elections of a high standard. In this context the EU EOM conducts a comprehensive analysis of the electoral process and provides an impartial and informed assessment of the elections.
The fundamental principles of any EU EOM are set out in a communication from the European Commission on EU election assistance and observation:
"International election observation is based on the principles of full coverage, impartiality, transparency and professionalism. Its ultimate objective is to become superfluous by entrenching democracy deep within each nation through development of national capacities. Its main goals are the legitimisation of an electoral process, where appropriate, and the enhancement of public confidence in the electoral process, to deter fraud, to strengthen respect for human rights, and to contribute to the resolution of conflict."
Excerpt from: Communication from the European Commission on EU election assistance and observation, Brussels, 11 April 2000, COM (2000) 191.
What European election observation missions observe
An Election Observation Mission assesses all aspects of the electoral process: the registration of voters and candidates, the training of election staff, voter education, the campaign activities of the candidates and political parties, coverage of the media, the preparations for polling, as well as the complaints and appeals process. It also assesses the electoral framework. On election day, observers visit polling stations in order to observe the opening of the stations, voting and counting.
The EU EOM's Chief Observer is supported by a core team which is deployed in-country about four weeks prior to election day, with long-term observers observing the preparations for the election at the regional level. The short-term observers then arrive shortly before the elections in order to increase the observation capacities of the mission during polling and counting.
The methodology of European election observation
An EOM does not interfere in the electoral process and has no authority to change, improve or correct any shortcomings or to request changes during the election process. The EOM has the mandate only to collect, verify and analyse information concerning the election process and to publish its findings.
EU EOMs are established only following an invitation from the government of the observed country.
Regular meetings are held with election officials at national, regional and local levels, with political parties, candidates, civil society and the media throughout the country.
Observers clearly distinguish between complaints, rumours, accusations and verified facts. Only facts that are witnessed or verified by the observers will be used as the basis of the mission's report. Furthermore, although the mission co-operates with other organisations, only information collected by its own international observers will be used for the mission's statement and final report.
A few days following the elections, the Chief Observer of the EU EOM issues a public preliminary statement based on long-term and short-term observations of the entire process. Approximately two months after the final results, a comprehensive report is issued, which will include a series of recommendations.
The assessment of the elections is based on seven key criteria that have been adopted by the European Union in assessing the quality of elections. These are:
Since 2000, the EU has organised 90 EOMs across the world in 54 countries.
Zambia
country profile and political background
