Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the findings and recommendations of Poland's 2023 parliamentary elections final report in Warsaw this week to Polish government officials, representatives of the election administration, both houses of the Polish Parliament and the Ombudsperson's office. A roundtable discussion was also held with civil society organizations and media representatives.
"We very much appreciate the ongoing co-operation and dialogue with the Polish authorities," said Douglas Wake, head of the ODIHR observation mission for the 2023 parliamentary elections. "Now, it is crucial that the process of considering and adopting changes to election legislation is open and inclusive, particularly towards civil society and the election administration. This will enable Poland to hold elections that build on the country's strong democratic practices while addressing the shortcomings noted by the observers."
Discussions focused particularly on ODIHR's recommendations to conduct an inclusive and timely legal reform process, ensure the separation of party and state throughout the election period, improve campaign finance transparency and independence of public media, and make efforts to increase the active political participation of marginalized groups, including women and persons with disabilities.
ODIHR was informed of plans for electoral reform and offered assistance to bring the electoral process in Poland closer to the commitments made by all OSCE states as well as international standards, including by providing legal reviews, sharing best practices from across the OSCE region, and offering thematic workshops. ODIHR experts also outlined potential areas for dialogue with national institutions and civil society. The authorities expressed an interest in engaging in further discussions.
All 57 participating States of the OSCE have formally committed to follow up promptly on ODIHR's election assessments and recommendations. Further information on previous ODIHR recommendations and an assessment of the extent to which they have been implemented so far through changes in legislation, procedures and practices can be found on p.27 of the final report. The ODIHR Electoral Recommendations Database also tracks the implementation of previous recommendations across the OSCE region.
