BUCHAREST, Romania – The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has launched a limited election observation mission for Romania’s May 4 repeat presidential election, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) announced Tuesday.
Led by Eoghan Murphy, the mission consists of a 13-member core team based in Bucharest and 22 long-term observers set to deploy across the country on April 2. The team will assess whether the election aligns with OSCE commitments, international democratic standards, and national laws.
“Our focus is on evaluating key aspects of the electoral process, including campaign conduct, election administration, media coverage, campaign financing, and the resolution of electoral disputes,” Murphy said. “We will also review Romania’s implementation of previous ODIHR recommendations.”
ODIHR observers will meet with representatives from national authorities, political parties, the judiciary, civil society, the media, and the international community. While they will monitor election-day procedures at selected polling stations, the mission will not conduct a systematic assessment of voting, counting, or tabulation.
An interim report is expected two weeks before the election, with preliminary findings released at a press conference the day after the vote. A final assessment, including recommendations, will follow in the coming months.
