COPENHAGEN, 22 March 2022 – More than 100 observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will deploy next week to Hungary for the 3 April parliamentary elections. The OSCE PA observers will work closely with the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

Kari Henriksen, Special Co-ordinator, and Rt Hon Mark Pritchard, Head od the OSCE PA DelegationKari Henriksen, Special Representative on the South Caucasus of the OSCE PA, will serve as Special Co-ordinator and leader of the short-term OSCE observer mission, following an appointment by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.

“The upcoming parliamentary elections are an important opportunity for the Hungarian people to express their voices, and for the country to demonstrate its engagement for free and democratic elections, in line with its international commitments" Henriksen said. “With the information gathered by our partners from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and its core team of experts and long-term observers, complemented by our efforts as short-term observers in the coming week, I am confident that we will be able to produce a fair and accurate report on the elections.”

President Margareta Cederfelt has appointed Rt Hon Mark Pritchard (United Kingdom) to lead the OSCE PA delegation.

"There is great interest in these elections, as is demonstrated by the large number of observers which make up our Delegation," said Pritchard. "I commend the high motivation of our observers and we all look forward to assess the elections in a thorough and impartial manner, in line with OSCE commitments."

The mission is assessing the elections against democratic commitments contained in the OSCE’s 1990 Copenhagen Document. Observers will be comprehensively briefed prior to election day by representatives of the election administration and civil society, candidates and experts. The leaders of the mission will deliver the post-election statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference in Budapest on 4 April, which will stream live on the OSCE PA website, www.oscepa.org.

For previous OSCE PA assessments of Hungarian elections, please click here.