Switzerland, Federal Elections, 23 October 2011: Needs Assessment Mission Report

Following an invitation from the Delegation of Switzerland to the OSCE to observe the 23 October 2011 federal elections, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) undertook a Needs Assessment Mission (NAM) from 5 to 8 July. The NAM included Nicola Schmidt, OSCE/ODIHR Senior Election Adviser, Robert Krimmer, OSCE/ODIHR Senior Adviser on New Voting Technologies, and Richard Lappin, OSCE/ODIHR Election Adviser.

The purpose of the mission was to assess the pre-election environment and the preparations for the elections. Based on this assessment, the NAM should recommend whether to deploy an OSCE/ODIHR election-related activity for the forthcoming elections, and if so, what type of activity best meets the identified needs. Meetings were held with representatives of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Chancellery, the Federal Supreme Court, the Federal Office of Communications, the Independent Complaints Authority, the Federal Commission on Women’s Issues, the Cantonal Chancelleries of Aargau and Geneva, as well as with representatives of political parties, the media, and civil society.