ZIF Election Observation 2021: an overview

ZIF recruits, trains and deploys German election observers to EU and OSCE missions (specifically the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)). Their election observation duties were – as in 2021 – greatly reduced due to the pandemic. The reasons for these limitations were travel restrictions as well as strict hygiene requirements and measures to prevent infections which, in some cases, were difficult to comply with. Hence, the opportunities for deployment were less diverse than usual.

However, we are glad that we were able to send several election observers on missions last year: 160 long- and short-term observers to OSCE ODIHR missions like Uzbekistan and 18 observers to EU missions like Venezuela. Our election observation courses were held mostly digitally, so we were able to open up our pool to new experts.

Election observation is a key tool to promote democracy, human rights, rule of law and transparency. Find more on this topic here.

Find important information on election observations and ZIF in 2021 visualized here (only in GERMAN).