OSCE experts to observe Swiss elections
Experts from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) are coming to Switzerland to monitor this month’s federal elections.
Their two main focuses of attention will be electronic voting for voters living abroad, and campaign financing, according to a joint statement issued on Friday by the federal chancellery and the foreign ministry.
The experts are hoping to learn from the Swiss e-voting experience so as to be able to apply the lessons in younger democracies and to help develop new election technologies.
However, the OSCE monitors determine their programme themselves and will only give the Swiss authorities operational details at short notice.
The mission will consist of 11 experts, who will stay from October 10-28. The election to choose members of both houses of the Swiss parliament takes place on October 23.
OSCE members agreed in 1994 to inform the organisation’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) whenever they hold elections, and to invite it to send observers.
Swiss experts regularly participate in OSCE election monitoring missions abroad.
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