Shared desire seen among Guyana’s stakeholders to uphold democratic norms – EU Chief Election Observer

…calls for updated voters list, GECOM reform in final report on 2025 elections

The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) has formally handed over its final report on Guyana’s 2025 General and Regional Elections, renewing its call for significant electoral reforms, including an updated voters list, and urging the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to “return to the fundamentals” of electoral management. The report, now in the possession of GECOM and other relevant stakeholders, follows months of assessment and analysis by the mission following the September 1 polls. The EU deployed 50 observers from all EU member states and Norway, who together visited more than 250 polling stations across all 10 regions of Guyana, from coastal communities to the hinterland and Indigenous villages. At a press briefing on Tuesday at the Pegasus Suites & Corporate Centre in Kingston, Chief Observer Robert Biedroń outlined the mission’s six priority recommendations, stressing that long-standing structural issues must be addressed if Guyana is to strengthen the credibility of future elections.

The report recommends that electoral stakeholders enhance prospects for key reforms by ensuring access to the necessary electoral expertise within a robust Constitutional Reform Commission operational framework. It urges the authorities to update the voters list using the most recent population data and information from relevant state institutions, ensuring that reforms align with national digitalisation efforts. The mission further calls for clear and comprehensive campaign rules, including guidelines for public officials and the use of state resources. Strengthening oversight of campaign finance was also highlighted as a major priority, with the EU-EOM urging the establishment of an independent monitoring body and the modernisation of outdated financial regulations, including spending limits. Additionally, the mission calls for the implementation of the Data Protection Act and the establishment of a publicly accountable Data Protection Office to safeguard voter information from misuse.

Hope for Guyana
According to the Chief Observer, the EU-EOM has seen a shared desire among stakeholders, including the Government, opposition parties and electoral bodies, to uphold democratic norms. “From the declarations I heard, there is also a willingness of all of these stakeholders, of all of these partners for future cooperation. And this is a great sign for future of Guyana. In the country of a strong polarisation, in the country of so many divisions among political and party organisations, this commitment is fundamental for future changes, for future improvements in electoral system. And I find it very optimistic and very saying a lot about the future of Guyana, which leaves me with optimism. As I said, I will meet tomorrow with the President. I will also share with him this message that all the stakeholders have reassured me that they want to work on these processes. They want to work on the recommendations and they want further improvement on the state of democracy in Guyana,” he explained.

No evidence of multiple voting
Biedroń also clarified that the mission also clarified that it found no evidence of multiple voting during its observation efforts. With this in mind, he noted that the recommendations are not compulsory but are offered “in the spirit of cooperation” to help strengthen Guyana’s democratic systems.
Meanwhile, addressing calls for electoral reform and the recomposition of GECOM, the mission’s social media analyst, Inta Lase, clarified that the commission is not being asked to reinvent itself but rather to return to the fundamentals of sound electoral management. “What we are not doing is proposing a formulation on how to resolve those concerns. What we are saying is go back to the fundamentals. What is important for the public for the voter is that the institution governing the elections is perceived as and is impartial and functions well in a transparent decision-making way, and these are the key elements that we are advocating,” the EU mission social media analyst went on to state. GECOM had approved six parties to contest the 2025 General and Regional Elections: the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the Alliance for Change (AFC), the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and the Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP). On September 6, GECOM officially declared Dr Irfaan Ali as the President of Guyana and the PPP the winning party at the September 1 polls. The PPP secured 36 seats in the National Assembly, while WIN gained 16 seats, APNU gained 12 seats, and FGM gained one seat.
Following the swearing in of Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and Ministers of Government, the 13th Parliament of Guyana convened in November. During its proceedings, all 65 members of the sitting parties took their oaths of office as Members of Parliament (MPs).