According to an EU election monitoring mission stationed in Colombo, the European Union has noted a shift away from the customary divisive rhetoric along communal lines with a notable shift in focus on the economy this presidential election.
The European Union has sent an Election Observation Mission (EOM) with a core team of 10 election experts and 26 long-term observers to Sri Lanka for the September 21 presidential election, according to Chief Observer Nacho Sánchez Amor, a member of the European Parliament. He made this announcement at a press conference on Friday, August 30.
“EU election observation team notes shift in emphasis towards economy”
The offical said the EOM commenced its activities on August 14 with the arrival of the core team, while on August 29 the mission caled up with the deployment of 26 long-term observers to all nine provinces of the island.
“The European Union deploys less than ten election observation missions per year, with each one of them being a clear testament to the importance we attach to the engagement with the country. By sending an election observation mission to Sri Lanka, the European Union is confirming the depth and fruitfulness of our partnership and unwavering support to democratic values,” said Amor.
In a statement, the EU stated that the EOM will monitor and assess a number of electoral-related factors, including the work of the electoral management office, the legal environment, the way campaigns are run, the role of social media in the electoral process, and the overall space available for civic and political engagement. According to the EU, the EOM is evaluating how well elections are carried out in accordance with both national law and the regional and international norms that Sri Lanka has ratified. Since 2000, there have been seven EU EOMs stationed in Sri Lanka.
“Voting is essential in this election to strengthen democratic institutions. Therefore, it will be crucial that the election be run in a transparent, inclusive, and peaceful manner and that all candidates and voters continue to have faith in the procedure and the result, according to Amor.
