The Parliamentary Election of this coming Sunday, 3 April 2022, in Hungary will elect the 199 future members of the Hungarian Parliament for the next 4 years, in a mixed proportional and majoritarian electoral system.
The European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) started this International Election Monitoring Mission (IEMM) nearly two months ago, engaging 7 international experts in the Mission’s Core Team and 10 long-term observers, deployed in all the regions of the country.
Election Day will be monitored by 200 international short-term observers, who in mobile groups will be monitoring the polling station opening process, the voting process, the polling station closing process, to then continue with the ballot counting process and the election material transport process.
A number of international missions have engaged in this election monitoring, among the larger being ENEMO and OSCE/ODIHR.
Considering the local context, which does not allow for the election process to be monitored by local independent observers, the role and contribution of international observers remains of a special relevance ang critical.
The ENEMO Interim IEMM Report found that the Parliamentary Elections of 3 April 2022 are being organized in a polarized political context, with a campaign characterized by an unequal race as a result of the misuse of state resources which led to the further blurring of the line between the state and the ruling coalition, and unequal access to media. In addition, the Report noted that the lack of an effective election campaign financing control mechanism and on regulating the campaign by third parties does not guarantee equality among election contestants.
The IEOM is expected to announce the Statement on Preliminary Findings and Conclusions after Election Day in a Press Conference to be held on Monday, 4 April 2022.
The Coalition for Reform, Integration and Consolidated Institutions (KRIIK) in its quality as part of ENEMO since 2009 and in its quality as a member of the Secretariat for two consecutive terms since 2015, has continuously contributed in developing ENEMO IEOMs engaging its activists and collaborators.
ENOMO is currently undertaking two Monitoring Missions, where in addition to the IEOM for Hungary, the Presidential and Early Parliamentary Elections of 3 April 2022 are being monitored through the IEOM in Serbia.
The aim of the ENEMO IEOMs is to increase the transparency of the election process, assess its integrity and compliance with international standards for democratic elections and with the domestic legislation, and to formulate recommendations for potential improvement.
With regard to the International Monitoring Mission in Serbia, KRIIK is contributing a long-term Observer, while for the International Monitoring Mission in Hungary, the KRIIK contribution is its Deputy Chair Mr. Dritan Taulla in the quality of Head of Mission, and his collaborator the Head of the Vlora Youth Center Mr. Elidon Lamani in the quality of Election Administration Analyst and CEC Observer, and a Team of Short-Term Observers composed of 22 KRIIK activists and collaborators.
KRIIK’s active engagement in these International Missions with its team of activists and collaborators is a meaningful and relevant experience for the improvement of human expertise and capacities in developing, following and monitoring quality election processes, and with regard to a critical and constructive approach towards other democratic developments in our country as well.
For more, visit ENEMO’s webpage!
Tirana, 1 April 2022!