Zwischenwahlen: Keine internationalen Wahlbeobachter in den USA: „Das ist ein Angriff auf die OSZE“

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) will not allow any of its observers to monitor the U.S. midterm elections at the beginning of November, according to a letter obtained by the Handelsblatt. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, the OSCE was informed it would not be invited to observe the elections in the United States this year. The midterm elections, which take place on November 3rd, involve the entire House of Representatives and parts of the Senate.

The OSCE expressed regret over the decision, particularly given its long-standing cooperation with the country on election observation. Since 2002, the organization has monitored twelve U.S. elections critically. In contrast, absences for OSCE election observers in recent years have been more common among autocracies such as Russia and Belarus.

U.S. President Donald Trump has previously claimed that U.S. elections are susceptible to manipulation and has advocated for electoral reform. Experts, however, estimate the vulnerability to technical manipulation during the voting process to be low in the United States. In Germany, the decision has been met with sharp criticism.

Green Bundestag member Boris Mijatović, chair of the Subcommittee on International Order and member of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid and Foreign Affairs, expressed concern over the move. He stated that the OSCE's goals of securing peace, stability, democracy, and prosperity would be severely undermined by this decision, calling it an "attack on the OSCE."

The move is seen as further evidence of the U.S. government withdrawing from international cooperation.