EU chief election observer’s explanations of an inclusive and participatory election

The European Union (EU) wants Bangladesh to hold an inclusive and participatory election through a peaceful, credible and transparent process.

However, the EU has now offered a somewhat redefined perspective on what it understands by the terms “inclusive” and “participatory”.

This explanation was provided by Ivars Ijabs, chief observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) in Bangladesh, at a press conference held at a hotel in Dhaka on Sunday afternoon.

At the outset of the press conference, Ivars Ijabs outlined the EU’s expectations, stating that the upcoming election should be transparent and participatory.

He noted that conducting the vote peacefully would help sustain voters’ trust in the democratic process and described the election as an important milestone in Bangladesh’s democratic journey.

During the question-and-answer session, a journalist asked what exactly the EU meant by an “inclusive” and “participatory” election.

In response, the EU’s chief election observer said, “From our perspective, inclusiveness means the involvement of all social groups. In the context of Bangladesh, this includes women, all small ethnic communities, religious minority groups and regional groups. By participatory, we mean the credible participation of voters.”

It was pointed out that in the past, ambassadors of EU member states had emphasised the participation of all political parties in Bangladesh when referring to an inclusive election.

Addressing this, Ijabs said they were aware that party registration is an issue, and they also knew that national reconciliation and transitional justice are historically complex matters in this country.

He further said they were not commenting on those issues. However, they will observe how those factors affect aspects such as the election itself and voter turnout. “So, we are not here to debate the historical context of the election, although we are aware of it and will take it into consideration.”

Following the mass uprising on 5 August 2024, the Awami League government was ousted. The interim government subsequently banned the party’s student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, and imposed restrictions on the Awami League’s political activities last year. As the election commission has suspended the party’s registration, it is unable to participate in the upcoming election.

When asked whether the current situation in Bangladesh is conducive to a peaceful election, Ijabs responded, “As in many other countries, law and order is an issue in Bangladesh, and it is something the EU observation mission is paying close attention to. My initial impression is that the Bangladeshi authorities are aware of the risks. The most challenging task here is to strike a balance between, on the one hand, the effective deployment of law enforcement agencies, and on the other, safeguarding freedom of expression and assembly. We will closely observe how this balance is maintained.”

In response to a question about whether holding both the parliamentary election and the referendum on the same day poses risks, Ivars Ijabs said it was not common to have two votes on the same day, although it does happen in some cases. “Basically, we will observe the parliamentary election, as the referendum falls outside our mandate. However, since the two processes are linked, we will monitor whether citizens are sufficiently informed to make their decisions properly. As referendums are an issue of interest in many countries, we will pay particular attention to this aspect.”

Asked whether the EU observation mission sees a level playing field for all participants in the election, Ijabs said, “We will assess the level playing field from various perspectives. For example, we are observing access to the media.”

He noted that the extent to which each candidate can access the media is an issue in many countries. He added that candidate registration is another important component of a level playing field, and that the mission is monitoring the ongoing appeals process related to nominations.

Ijabs reiterated that the EU observer team is closely monitoring whether equal opportunities exist for all contestants in the election.

He also said that the mission will observe how freely and effectively the media is able to operate. He announced that the EU EOM will publish a preliminary report two days after the election, on 14 February, and will hold a press conference in Dhaka on the same day.

A comprehensive final report, including recommendations for future elections, will be published and presented to the relevant authorities approximately two months later, he added.

All observers of the EU EOM operate under a strict code of conduct, and the mission carries out its work in line with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, endorsed under the auspices of the United Nations in 2005.

The European Union has formally launched its election observation mission to monitor Bangladesh’s upcoming 13th national parliamentary election.

At the invitation of the Bangladeshi authorities, the mission will operate independently, impartially and without interference—based on these three core principles.

At full capacity, the mission comprises nearly 200 observers from the EU’s 27 member states, as well as Canada, Norway and Switzerland.

This includes a core team of 11 analysts based in Dhaka, 56 long-term observers, 90 short-term observers to be deployed shortly before polling day, and observers from EU member states’ and partner countries’ diplomatic missions.

A delegation from the European Parliament will also join the mission, further strengthening its capacity.

Chief observer Ivars Ijabs said the mission underscores the importance of the partnership between the European Union and Bangladesh, founded on mutual respect and a shared commitment to democratic principles.

Throughout its deployment, the mission will engage with election administrators, political parties, the judiciary, civil society and the media to observe and analyse various aspects of the process, including election preparations, the legal framework and its implementation, campaigning and the resolution of electoral disputes.

It will also assess the overall scope of political and civic participation, including that of women, young people and other groups in vulnerable situations.

Separate media and social media monitoring units within the EU EOM will evaluate the role of traditional and digital media in enabling voters to make informed decisions.

Overall, the mission will assess the extent to which the election is conducted in accordance with national law, as well as its compliance with the regional and international democratic election standards that Bangladesh has committed to uphold.