Parliamentary Elections, 9 October 2016

Mission at a glance

• Head of Mission: Kimmo Kiljunen
• Core team of six experts from six OSCE participating States, based in Vilnius

Mission schedule

• 26 September: Opening of the mission
• 9 October: Election day
• 14 October: Closing of the mission

Following an invitation from the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and based on the findings and conclusions of the OSCE/ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission, undertaken from 14 to 16 June 2016, the OSCE/ODIHR has deployed an Election Assessment Mission (EAM) to the 9 October 2016 parliamentary elections.

The OSCE/ODIHR EAM, headed by Kimmo Kiljunen, began its work in Lithuania on 26 September. The EAM includes six experts, drawn from six OSCE participating States.

The mission will assess the electoral process in terms of its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as national legislation. Observers will, in particular, look into issues related to candidate registration, campaign finance and vote-buying, the participation of women and national minorities, electronic voter lists, alternative voting mechanisms, and complaints and appeals procedures.

In line with OSCE/ODIHR methodology, the OSCE/ODIHR EAM will not carry out systematic or comprehensive observation of the voting, counting, and tabulation on election day. Mission members will, however, visit a small number of polling stations on election day.

A final report will be issued approximately eight weeks after the end of the electoral process.

Previous Elections

The OSCE/ODIHR previously assessed the parliamentary elections in Lithuania in 2012 and observed the parliamentary elections in 1996.