The 1990 OSCE/CSCE Copenhagen Document states that ”the will of the people, freely and fairly expressed through periodic and genuine elections, is the basis of the authority and legitimacy of all government.” Elections conducted according to OSCE commitments and standards yield political representatives accountable to their electorates. Pluralistic, democratic societies are underpinned by free and fair elections. Elections genuinely reflecting the will of the people are essential for a healthy, functioning democracy.

While the vast majority of OSCE participating States generally conduct free and fair elections, in some (notably Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, and most Central Asian countries), elections consistently fall short of international democratic standards, and in some cases, are a farce.   

The OSCE has been involved in election observation throughout the region, including the United States, and represents the “gold standard” in international election observation. Since 1989, the Commission has observed well over 100 elections in the OSCE region – the vast majority of them as members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegations to the larger OSCE-led international observation missions.