President Trump did not invite OSCE observers to US elections — The Hill
The administration of President Donald Trump did not invite international observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to the US midterm elections. This breaks the practice of inviting OSCE missions to observe presidential and midterm elections, which the United States had followed since 2002, The Hill reports.
The role of the OSCE mission
Election observation is carried out by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Its mission has no enforcement mechanisms and does not determine the legitimacy of elections. The observers’ task is to assess the electoral environment and prepare recommendations to bring the process into line with the OSCE’s commitments on democratic standards.
White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis, explaining the absence of an invitation, stated that US elections would be administered, conducted with the participation of, and observed by American citizens. The United States is one of the OSCE’s 57 members.
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Criticism of the decision
Last month, ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly called the administration’s decision “regrettable.” OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pere Joan Pons said the refusal was a significant departure from an established democratic practice that had been in place for more than two decades.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen said that not inviting international observers contradicts the principles of freedom, democracy, and election transparency. Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse called the absence of an OSCE mission “a warning sign for democracy.” Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen also suggested that the administration may not want independent observation on voting day.
Trump’s critics, the outlet writes, fear possible attempts to challenge or disrupt election results unfavorable to Republican candidates. State officials, mostly Democrats, are also discussing possible actions by federal authorities regarding elections, which are administered by the states in the US.
