In response to a formal invitation by the Malawian authorities, the High Representative/Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, has decided to deploy an EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) to observe the general elections scheduled for 16 September 2025.    

The High Representative has appointed Lucia Annunziata, Member of the European Parliament, as Chief Observer.

Chief Observer Annunziata declared: “I am honoured to lead this EU Election Observation Mission to Malawi, which will deliver an independent and impartial assessment of the whole electoral process. As the Malawian people prepare to go to the polls, the European Union reaffirms its support for Malawi in its efforts to strengthen democracy, uphold the rule of law and protect human rights.”

Background

The EU EOM will provide a comprehensive, independent, and impartial assessment of the electoral process based on international and regional standards for democratic elections.

The EU EOM will be composed by different groups of observers. The Core Team will consist of 11 election experts who are scheduled to arrive in Malawi on 2 August. 28 long-term observers will join the mission in mid-August and will be deployed across the country. Closer to election day, 32 short-term observers will join the mission, as will locally recruited observers from the resident diplomatic community. Finally, a delegation from the European Parliament will join the EOM shortly before the elections.  The EU EOM will remain in the country until the completion of the electoral process.

In line with the EU election observation methodology, the mission will issue a preliminary statement and conduct a press conference in Lilongwe shortly after the elections. A comprehensive final report, including recommendations to improve future electoral processes, will be prepared and shared with all relevant stakeholders after the conclusion of the entire electoral process.