Podgorica early local elections orderly but improvements desired

A five-member Congress Election Observation Mission completed its mission to monitor the early municipal elections in Podgorica, which took place on Sunday 29 September in 212 polling stations.

On election day, four Congress teams led by Randi Mondorf (Denmark, R, ILDG) visited 55 randomly selected polling stations across the municipality. The teams observed the entire electoral process, from the opening of the polls to the closing and counting of the votes.

Overall, the delegation observed a calm and orderly election day, with some minor procedural issues, particularly during the opening and closing procedures. The delegation noted that the use of electronic identification worked effectively throughout the election day, with some minor issues regarding the accuracy of voter lists, which calls for clearer residency requirements. The delegation welcomed the gender balance in most of the polling stations visited, in particular the number of women chairpersons.

The preliminary conclusions highlight the need for a comprehensive legal framework to address the existing loopholes and gaps. "We fully appreciate the work being done to reform the electoral law and encourage the authorities to adopt the new legislation as soon as possible," stressed Head of Delegation Randi Mondorf.

The Congress delegation recommends steps to professionalise election administration, including systematic and compulsory training for all officials and the requirement for visible accreditation badges for authorised personnel. The delegation also noted concerns about the secrecy of the ballot and accessibility for persons with disabilities, as many polling stations were not accessible for persons with mobility impairments, and the positioning of polling booths sometimes compromised the privacy of the ballot.

In addition, the Congress delegation recommends a single election day for all municipalities in order to strengthen local democracy and highlight the important role of municipalities in the daily lives of citizens.

This was the first time the Congress observed local elections in Montenegro. It was preceded by a series of meetings on 27 and 28 September with the Election Commission, the Ministry of Public Administration, the Anti-Corruption Agency, the Municipality of Podgorica, members of the diplomatic corps, the media, NGOs and candidates from the parties running in the elections.

The draft report and recommendation will be submitted for adoption at the 48th session of the Congress of the Council of Europe in March 2025.

Upon request of the competent authorities, the Congress observes local and regional elections in Council of Europe member States and sometimes beyond. To date, more than 115 election observation missions have been conducted by the Congress. The observation of local elections is one of the priorities of the Congress's action. It is complementary to the political monitoring process of the European Charter of Local Self-Government, which is the cornerstone of local democracy in Europe.

Contact: Mirjam KURENT, Mobile +33 6 50 39 29 07, [email protected]

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