A delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities carried out an observation mission of the local elections held on 20 November in Slovenia. The 18 observers were deployed to different regions of the country, in order to follow the electoral procedures in 120 polling stations, including the counting in seven places.
“Overall, we witnessed a calm and orderly Election Day, without major incidents or anomalies,” said the Head of Delegation, David Eray (Switzerland, EPP/CCE), at a press conference in Ljubljana. He highlighted the high level of confidence in the Slovenian electoral system, both on the part of voters and candidates, as well as the existence of special voting rights for the country’s three ethnic minorities, “which is an important feature of a truly democratic and inclusive environment”.
The Congress delegation, however, insisted on the need for more coherent regulations, in particular, regarding the sealing of the ballot boxes, the secrecy of the vote and the set-up of polling stations. By giving the National Electoral Commission certain powers of coordination or control and clear instructions on the practical arrangements for the Election Day, the professionalisation of the electoral management could be further enhanced, said Mr Eray.
The report on the observation mission will be presented for adoption at the 44th Session of the Congress of the Council of Europe, in March 2023.
Press release
Council of Europe Congress observes the local elections in Slovenia