FLASH
Shkruar nga Josep Borrell
Disinformation is poisoning the debate, authoritarian leaders are organizing "elections" without real choices, and citizens are losing faith that their vote matters...
In every corner of the world, including ours, democracy is losing oxygen. Disinformation is poisoning the debate, authoritarian leaders are organizing “elections” without real choice, and citizens are losing faith that their vote matters. Even more recently, in the US military intervention in Venezuela on January 3, we have seen opposition leaders, who are internationally recognized as having the democratic support of their people, sidelined.
None of this is new. Dedicating much of his work to criticizing the absolute concentration of power in dictatorial figures, the Paraguayan writer and long-time exile Augusto Roa Bastos discovered that when democracy loses ground, gradually and inevitably a single, unquestionable goal takes its place: power. And it shapes the leader as a supreme being, one who does not need higher democratic processes to restrain his will. This is the real danger of regression that we are witnessing in the world today.
A few decades ago, the wave of democracy seemed unstoppable, bringing freedom and prosperity to an ever-increasing number of countries. And as this democratic wave spread, so did the practice of sending impartial international observers to elections as a way to support democratic development.
Both in boosting voter confidence and in reassuring the international community of democratic progress, election observation has been one of the EU's quiet success stories for decades. Yet as international development budgets shrink, some are questioning whether the practice still matters.
I believe this is a serious mistake.
Today, attacks on the integrity of electoral processes, subtle or blatant manipulation of votes and narratives, and absolute answers to complex problems are allowing Roa Basto’s concept of power to permeate our democratic societies. And as the foundations of pluralism continue to erode, autocrats and autocratic practices are growing unchecked.
On the contrary, ensuring competitive, transparent and fair elections is the antidote to authoritarianism. To this end, the bloc has so far sent missions to observe more than 200 elections in 75 countries. And the determination of EU cooperation and support for those countries based on the conclusions of these missions has, in turn, encouraged them to strengthen democratic practices.
The impact is tangible. Our 2023 mission to Guatemala, for example, which was undertaken jointly with the Organization of American States and other observation groups, supported the credibility of the country's presidential election and helped thwart malicious efforts to undermine the outcome.
And yet, many now argue that in a world of hybrid regimes, cyber threats, and political polarization, international observers can do little to restore trust in flawed processes, and that other areas, such as defense, should take priority.
I disagree. Now, more than ever, is the time to defend democracy, the most fundamental value of the EU. While many of the independent citizen observer groups we see as partners lose crucial funding, it is vital that we continue to send missions. In fact, cutting support would be a false economy, amounting to silence at a time when truth and transparency are being stifled.
I myself have observed the elections as Chair of the European Parliament’s Development Committee. I have seen firsthand how EU observation has evolved beyond uncovering open ballot stuffing, to uncovering details of unfair candidate exclusions, behind-the-scenes tabulation of results, and, most recently, the impact of online manipulation and disinformation.
In my capacity as High Representative, I also decided to send observation missions to controversial countries, including Venezuela. Despite opposition from some, our presence there during the 2021 local elections was highly appreciated by the opposition. Our findings stimulated national and international discussions on electoral conditions, democratic standards and necessary changes. And when the time comes for new elections again, as it must, the presence of impartial international observers will be essential to restoring Venezuelans’ trust in the electoral process.
At the same time, election observation is being actively threatened by powers like Russia, which promote narratives against election observations conducted by organizations that support the Declaration of Principles on International Election Observation (DoP), a landmark document that set the global standard for impartial monitoring.
A few years ago, for example, a Russian parliamentary committee harshly criticized our surveillance efforts, urging the creation of alternative monitoring bodies that, in a clear way, promote disinformation and legitimize authoritarian regimes, something that has also happened in Azerbaijan and Belarus.
When a credible international observation mission publishes a measured, fact-based assessment, it becomes a point of reference for both citizens and institutions. It provides an anchor for dialogue, a benchmark against which all actors can measure their behavior. Above all, it signals to citizens that the international community is observing, not to interfere, but to support their right to a meaningful choice.
Of course, surveillance must evolve too. We now monitor not just the ballot box, but also algorithms, online narratives, and the influence of artificial intelligence. We are strengthening post-election monitoring and developing new tools to verify data and detect manipulation, exploring ways in which AI can be a force for good.
Accordingly, last month I lent my support to the Department of People’s Deputies, including the EU, the United Nations, the African Union, the Organization of American States, and dozens of international organizations and NGOs, as they met at the UN in Geneva to mark the 20th anniversary of the declaration and to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening election observation in the face of new threats and critical funding challenges. Just days later we learned of the detention of Dr. Sarah Bireete, a leading nonpartisan citizen observer, ahead of the January 15 elections in Uganda.
These recent events are a wake-up call to renew this purpose. Election observation is only worthwhile if we are willing to defend the principle of democracy itself. As someone born into a dictatorship, I know all too well that democratic freedoms cannot be taken for granted.
In a world of contested truths and ever-increasing power games, democracy needs both witnesses and supporters. I hope the EU will continue to be among them. / Adapted from “Pamphlet” by “Politico”
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