ODIHR calls for restraint and respect for the democratic process following US election unrest

WARSAW, 7 January 2021 – Watching the increasingly disquieting events unfolding in the United States capital in recent hours following the November general elections, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) voices its concern regarding the integrity of the democratic process, and calls on all sides to keep to the principles of democracy and the rule of law.

As one of the 57 countries of the OSCE region, the United States has committed not only to hold democratic elections but also ensure that “the candidates who obtain the necessary votes are duly installed in office.” While the US legal system provides for a smooth transition of power, restraint by all those involved in the process remains vital, even in a country with such strong institutions and traditional respect for democratic norms. Neither incitement to violence nor violence itself has any place in the democratic process.

The leading institution worldwide in the field of election observation, ODIHR was on the ground in the US from late September until well after election day. ODIHR stated clearly that while every candidate has the right to go to court if they believe there have been errors in the election process, the ODIHR observation mission found that all allegations of systematic fraud were groundless.

All countries of the OSCE have recognized the crucial role of democratic elections in ensuring long-term security and stability. ODIHR therefore calls on the United States and every other country in the OSCE to remember that elections are a celebration as the embodiment of the civil and political rights at the core of our democracies.