The spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has reached unprecedented levels across the globe. Together with its impact on health systems and economies, the crisis also bears lesser known long- and short-term consequences for elections, democracy, and countries’ security. This paper aims to inform on the responses the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) has been developing and bringing to its beneficiary countries and partners amid the health crisis, while honouring its donors’ values and requirements.

ECES believes that this challenging situation nonetheless opens the door to opportunities to hold discussions in order to develop common expectations with respect to electoral roadmaps and how to better achieve conditions for fair and credible elections. Additionally, the pandemic created spaces for longer and more solid periods of capacity development electoral knowledge advancement by Electoral Management Bodies staff and other electoral stakeholders.

Find out more about the ways ECES has been delivering electoral and democracy assistance in these challenging times:  Delivering Electoral and Democracy Support under COVID-19: ECES Preparedness and Responses.