National parliaments should step up the fight against fake election observers
European Parliament-organised Conference on Countering Fake Election Observation recommends EU member state parliaments commit to a binding code of conduct for election observation. The Conference on Countering Fake Election Observation, was organised by the European Parliament’s Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG) and the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) in the European Parliament in Brussels on 4 […]
Challenges to Election Observation in Europe: Adam Busuleanu in conversation with Cosmin Bârzan, Civic Resource Centre
EPDE Senior Program Officer Adam Busuleanu met with Cosmin Bârzan, president of the Civic Resource Centre, to discuss EPDE’s mission and the growing challenges facing election observation in Europe. Their conversation explored the increasing impact of online voting and social media manipulation on electoral integrity. Adam emphasized the shrinking space for civil society in places […]
Leveraging Tech for Election Integrity: EPDE at RightsCon 2025
EPDE hosted a roundtable at RightsCon 2025 in Taipei, Taiwan “For every autocratic move, tireless human rights defenders innovate, unite, and hold governments accountable. Our task is to stay ahead, stay connected, never give in.” – these words by a human rights defender at a lightning talk encapsulate the spirit of RightsCon 2025, which took […]
European Democracy Hub: What Does the ‘Year of Elections’ Tell Us About Democracy?
Moldova: Elections and Kremlin’s Shadow By Lukasz Kondraciuk, Election Integrity and CivicTech Lead at the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE). Moldova’s October 2024 elections and referendum, characterised by unprecedented Kremlin-sponsored influence attempts, highlighted a climate of profound political and geopolitical divisions in the country representing two drastically competing visions for Moldova’s future. The governing […]
From Ballots to Security: FURIC2024 in Brussels
On December 11-12 in Brussels, FURIC 2024 brought together 32 inspiring speakers and over 120 participants to tackle the critical theme ‘From Ballots to Security: Advancing Resilience Through Electoral Reforms.’ With hybrid threats growing and technology reshaping the electoral landscape, the discussions emphasized practical strategies to safeguard democracy worldwide. We discussed these pressing issues with […]
“Elections are a cornerstone of security” – Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s keynote at FURIC2024
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, National Leader of Belarus and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, delivered the opening keynote at the FURIC2024 conference ‘From Ballots to Security.’ In her address, she underscored the critical link between democratic elections and national as well as international security. Drawing on Belarus’s experience, she highlighted the dire consequences of […]
Save the Date: FURIC 2024 “From Ballots to Security: Advancing Resilience Through Electoral Reforms”, December 11-12, Brussels
The Follow-Up on Recommendations’ Implementation Conference (FURIC 2024) returns for its second edition in Brussels on December 11-12, 2024. This year’s conference will focus on the crucial intersection of electoral reforms and security, exploring how the implementation of recommendations can contribute to countering hybrid threats to democracy. Key topics include: Please save the date, and we look forward […]
In troubled waters. The OSCE in times of war
In troubled waters. The OSCE in times of war The core idea of the CSCE, to achieve security in Europe through confidence-building and cooperation among all States, has been shaken. Russia is waging war against Ukraine and sees itself in conflict with the “collective West”. The OSCE and its contractual foundations have been weakened, trust […]
WHDC Side Event: Implementing Electoral Recommendations: How to Improve the Follow-up Framework for OSCE Participating States
Panel Recap: Electoral Reform – Turning Recommendations into Action On October 1, EPDE hosted a side event at the Warsaw 2024 Human Dimension Conference on improving the framework of the implementation of electoral reform recommendations in the OSCE region. The conversation centered on the pivotal role that election observation missions play in strengthening electoral integrity […]
European Civil Society Call Upon New Secretary General of Council of Europe to Prioritise Human Rights in Azerbaijan
A wide group of European civil society organisations wrote to Alain Berset, new Secretary General of the Council of Europe, on his first day in office, calling upon him to prioritise the human rights crisis in Azerbaijan, marked by the detention of Vaclav Havel Award winner Anar Mammadli alongside over 300 other political prisoners. Alain […]