The trend of the past decade is clear: democracy is under severe threat. A recent Global State of Democracy Report confirmed that people are losing faith in democracy. We see everywhere a greater polarisation, often fuelled by disinformation, and deliberate efforts by non-democratic regimes to undermine the universal right of people to elect their own governments and choose their own future. When democracy is being attacked, we, as EU, stand strong in our convictions. We must and will continue to support democracy, both internally and externally.

Democracy remains the only approach that can tackle the enormous challenges societies face.

Democracy remains indeed the only approach that can tackle the enormous challenges societies face. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, some authoritarian regimes pretended they had more efficient policies than democracies. However, the rest of the story has proven exactly the opposite. The same applies to the fight against climate change: if citizens are not directly involved in the urgent choices to make, it will become more difficult to achieve carbon neutrality in time. I grew up in a dictatorship and I am well placed to appreciate the difference that democracy makes.

Supporting democratic elections is not imposing a Western model

Supporting participation in democratic elections is not about imposing any Western model, as some want to make-believe: it is nothing less than a universal right. Political participation goes hand in hand with trust in institutions. It is a fundamental right and a fundamental citizen responsibility as well. This is why re-establishing public confidence in democratic processes is essential. We must help our partners worldwide when a rising democracy struggles to build more robust institutions.

Political participation is a fundamental right and a fundamental citizen responsibility as well. We must help our partners worldwide when a rising democracy struggles to build more robust institutions.

“To be or not to be a democracy” goes beyond elections. However, elections constitute a cornerstone of any democratic architecture. Without them, there is no democracy to talk about. This is why the EU, together with partners around the world, is putting a lot of effort into observing elections. Since the beginning of my mandate, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU has sent 25 electoral observations and follow-up missions in 23 countries, 13 in Africa, 6 in Latin America, 2 in the Middle East, 1 in the Pacific and 1 in the Western Balkans. Since 1990, we have had in total no less than 170 EU missions.

Thanking the thousands of national and international election observers

However, before going further on this, I would like to thank the thousands of national and international election observers that serve worldwide: they embody democratic resilience. The increase in attacks against them is alarming. In the run-up to the 2019 elections in Mozambique, one of the country's most prominent citizen observers, Dr. Anastácio Matavel, was assassinated by the police. It is totally unacceptable. Electoral observers must be considered what they truly are: human rights defenders. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms. Mary Lawlor, called last October on states to take “all necessary steps” to allow election observers to carry out their work.

Our EU Electoral Observation Missions (EOM) do not interfere with national processes, as some want to make-believe: the organisation of elections is the sole responsibility of the country itself and EU missions are only deployed by invitation. Over the past decades, the EU has become one of the most respected election observation providers in the world, in particular because EU missions have demonstrated independence, professionalism and impartiality; they are seen therefore as being capable of assessing the electoral process and recommending reforms honestly.

Our efforts have proven their value

And our efforts have proven their value. In 2021, I have decided to send an EU mission to observe the regional and municipal elections in Venezuela. My decision was initially challenged in Europe, although being much awaited by civil society and political forces in Venezuela. Finally, the mission proved helpful. We have seen improvements in the electoral conditions compared to previous processes - these Venezuelan elections were marked by the return of the majority of political parties to the electoral arena. The mission report raised also a number of structural deficiencies and made many recommendations for reforms. This mission helped pave the way for the return to the negotiation process between Venezuelan conflicting parties in Mexico, which is currently taking place.

This year, the presence of an EU Election Observation Missions in Kenya and in Colombia helped to defuse political tensions.

I could mention other examples, as the EU mission last August, in Kenya. The situation around the presidential election was quite tense and fears of unrests following the results were high. The presence of an EU EOM and its evaluation of the election process helped to defuse these tensions and avoid major violence. In spring 2022, during the last presidential elections in Colombia, EU EOM presence, together with the prominent role of brave local observers, also served to defuse tensions in a country that has experienced a lot of political violence in recent years.

Most people may think that when observers have left the country this is the end of the mission – but this is actually when the real work should begin! To give one relevant example: in Nigeria, the Election Follow-up Mission deployed in February 2022 after the 2019 elections, concluded that significant progress had been made: out of the previous 30 recommendations, 13 had been implemented. The Nigerian National Assembly, the Independent National Electoral Commission and civil society had found a compromising ground for the new Election Act. The EU – together with member states and the larger international community – has provided financial and technical support to the process.

The new challenge of the digitalisation of the electoral process

We are working now to respond to new challenges such as the digitalisation of the electoral process, with elections increasingly moving online. We have also made progress when it comes to assessing social media and disinformation during elections. Citizens have the right to access truthful information and facts – their votes should not be distorted by propaganda from abroad or from within. There were among the issues discussed in Brussels this week with international partners who also adhere to the UN-sponsored “Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation”.

But, let’s be frank: making progress on democracy is often hard. The forces blocking democratic change are powerful. But democracy is too important – politicians shying away from doing the right thing should be met with clear demands. The EU will continue to advance the democracy agenda worldwide, with all relevant partners, including through our election observation missions.