Leading figures in international and national organisations across Europe have called for stronger recognition of the importance of and need to protect electoral observers in ensuring the security of democratic processes in European countries and the safeguarding of rights.

The call came from participants in the "Towards trusted and inclusive electoral processes: the role of observers" event, which took place in Paris on 28-29 April 2026. The event was co-organised by Council of Europe bodies the Parliamentary Assembly - which is made up of elected representatives from national parliaments across the continent - the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities - which has representatives, including mayors and elected councillors, from government levels below the national - and the Venice Commission - the expert group that advises countries on constitutional matters. It took place within the framework of the New Democratic Pact for Europe.

The Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly, the Congress and the Venice Commission - respectively Petra Bayr, Gunn Marit Helgesen and Marta Cartabia - represented the Council of Europe. They were joined by policy makers in charge of elections and electoral-management bodies from the Council of Europe's 46 member states, representatives from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Parliament, the European Union diplomatic corps, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and non-governmental organisations involved in election observation.

In particular, the final statement - The Paris Call - urges European states to:

• Recognise that electoral observation, both domestic and international, plays an important role in enhancing the transparency and integrity of electoral processes, thereby reinforcing public trust in democracy, and that election observers act both as watchdogs of democratic processes and human-rights defenders;
• Provide a strong legislative framework for domestic observation with a view to facilitating the work of the observers and ensuring their free movement and unhindered access to polling stations, as well as observers' security;
• Systematically invite international election observation missions and facilitate their work by providing a framework that ensures access and security for international observers;
• Ensure meaningful and timely follow-up to the findings and conclusions of international election observation missions;
• Support the adoption of a specific Council of Europe instrument to guarantee, protect and promote electoral observation.

Read more on the "Towards trusted and inclusive electoral processes" event

Find out more about the Council of Europe's work on elections

Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

Venice Commission