The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will oversee Sweden’s election slated to take place September 9.
“This is the first time we have had any form of mission or observation activity in Sweden for an election,” the organisation’s spokesperson Thomas Rymer told Sveriges Radio.
The decision was made following discussions with politicians, representatives of the Swedish media, and some of those involved in organising the election.
As reported by The Local, a working group was sent to Sweden to evaluate if there was a need for observers during the election in 2010. They reached the conclusion that this was not necessary. A similar evaluation was carried out earlier this year and OSCE decided to send two people to Sweden to monitor the September poll.
One of the observers’ tasks is to take a close look at how the parties’ election campaigns have been financed.
OSCE spokesperson Rymer said that the organisation’s presence in Sweden should not be “dramatized”, adding: “There are no perfect elections.”
The OSCE often sends observers to monitor elections, including in the recent German, Austrian and Italian votes, reported The Local.
