MEPs and election experts will discuss ways to counter politically biased (“fake”) election observation and related disinformation campaigns at a conference on 4 and 5 June.

The conference, co-hosted by Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG) and the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE), will address how fake observers, including elected officials and representatives of democratic institutions, are systematically employed by authoritarian regimes and non-democratic governments to legitimise flawed elections, eroding public trust in democratic institutions and undermining election credibility.

Panel discussions will focus on institutional vulnerabilities exploited by authoritarian regimes, showcase civil society tools for exposing politically biased observer networks, and outline specific actions national parliaments and election authorities can take to enhance resilience against disinformation and hybrid electoral threats.

You can find a full version of the programme here.

The conference will be opened on Wednesday 4 June at 14.00 CEST by the Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and DEG Co-Chair David McAllister (EPP, Germany).

WHEN: Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 June 2025.

WHERE: Room 4B001 in the European Parliament’s Paul Henri Spaak building in Brussels.

Rules for media

The conference will be open to media. All European Parliament accredited journalists can attend the event. Rules for media accreditation can be found here.

More information about the European Parliament’s role in monitoring elections

Actively supporting the European Union’s international efforts to promote democracy and human rights is one of Parliament’s core responsibilities, as set out in the EU’s founding treaties. Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group advises the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the selection of priority countries for EU election observation missions. It also appoints the chief observers for those missions; every EU election observation mission is led by an MEP.

Parliament sends 10 to 12 short-term election observation delegations to countries outside the EU every year. These delegations team up with ongoing, longer-term missions, which are deployed only when requested by local authorities. You can read more here.

More information about EPDE

The European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) is a network of 17 citizen election observation organisations dedicated to protecting electoral integrity. EPDE monitors elections, combats fake observation, and helps institutions across Europe safeguard democracy from hybrid threats and disinformation. Through research, advocacy, and capacity-building, EPDE strengthens democratic standards and promotes credible, transparent electoral processes.