European Centre for Electoral Support

17/08/2026

📍Bolivia 🇧🇴

Previously last week, we were invited to participate in one of Bolivia’s “Democracy Forums”, a joint initiative of the Ombudsman’s Office of Bolivia (Defensoría del Pueblo) and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES Bolivia) Fundación Friedrich Ebert Bolivia

The Forum brought together institutions and experts to analyse the political, economic and social implications of the proposed 50/50 transfers following the 2026 sub-national electoral cycle.

🗣️ Ombudsman Pedro Calisaya Pedro Callisaya opened the event, highlighting the importance of dialogue and consensus-building as tools for fostering a culture of peace, particularly in regional and territorial electoral processes.

Representing ECES, Rafael Loayza presented a paper on the government programmes of the sub-national cycle and their relationship with factors fuelling electoral conflict. Other experts discussed the transfers under the 50/50 fiscal act as a challenge for the newly elected municipal and regional governments.

🤝 We are pleased to contribute to these important spaces for democratic dialogue and exchange in Bolivia.

European External Action Service - EEASEuropean CommissionEuropean ParliamentCouncil of the European UnionMinistero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione InternazionaleAFD - Agence Française de DéveloppementKfW Bankengruppe Udenrigsministeriet Irish Aid

14/08/2026

🇿🇲 Directly from the CCMG Election Data Centre in Zambia! Christian Churches Monitoring Group - CCMG

Yesterday, as Zambians headed to the polls for the 2026 General Elections, our Electoral Expert Sylvestre Somo spoke directly from the Election Data Centre of the Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG), our partner in the framework of the EU-funded PRO-DEM Zambia project.

🗳️ From the Data Centre, Sylvestre shares insights into Election Day, the monitoring process and the work carried out by CCMG monitors deployed across the country.

🎥 Watch the full video to learn more about Election Day in Zambia!

🇪🇺🤝🇿🇲 Eyes on the ballot!



European CommissionEuropean Parliament
European Union in ZambiaEuropean External Action Service - EEASCouncil of the European Union Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione InternazionaleAFD - Agence Française de DéveloppementKfW Bankengruppe Irish Foreign Ministry

14/08/2026

🇿🇲 Yesterday was E-day in Zambia!

Yesterday Zambians headed to the polls for the 2026 General Elections.

With funding from the European Union 🇪🇺 , we are supporting the Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) Christian Churches Monitoring Group - CCMG, Zambia’s largest local election monitoring group, in its nationwide observation of the electoral process.

🗳️ 1,500 CCMG monitors have been deployed across the country, covering a statistically representative sample of Zambia’s 13,529 polling stations. Zambia has 8,786,300 registered voters, 226 constituencies and 13 presidential candidates on the ballot.

Early reports show a strong start: by 7:00 AM yesterday, 97% of reporting polling stations were open and voting was underway, based on reports from 1,339 CCMG monitors.

Women are also playing an important role: by 1:00 PM yesterday, with 1,431 of 1,500 monitors reporting, women were serving as Presiding Officers at 36% of observed polling stations.

Earlier this week, our team joined partners at the CCMG Data Centre as preparations were finalised for today’s nationwide monitoring effort. CCMG Project Coordinator Christabel Mwango guided partners through the Data Centre and its operations, while CCMG Programme Director Peter Mwanangombe exchanged with members of the ECES team: Project Coordinator Mulima Akapelwa, Senior Project Adviser Pezo Mateo-Phiri and Senior Project Officer Sylvestre Somo during the preparations. The visit brought together CCMG and ECES teams alongside representatives of the EU, Ireland, Finland, the United Kingdom and NDI National Democratic Institute.

Through our EU-funded project in Zambia, we are proud to support credible, transparent and inclusive elections by strengthening citizen-led election observation and access to reliable information.

🇪🇺🤝🇿🇲 Eyes on the ballot!

European External Action Service - EEASEuropean CommissionEuropean Parliament
European Union in ZambiaMinistero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione InternazionaleAFD - Agence Française de DéveloppementKfW Bankengruppe UdenrigsministerietIrish Foreign Ministry

13/08/2026

Women are showing up and leading! 💪🏾🗳️

At 36% of polling stations reporting by 1:00 PM, the Presiding Officer was a woman. A powerful reminder of the important role women continue to play in Zambia’s electoral process.

📊 1,431 of 1,500 monitors reporting
Stay informed. Stay engaged.



European Centre for Electoral Support

13/08/2026

🇱🇧 Dekwaneh, Lebanon

Yesterday in Dekweneh, 15 young Lebanese women and men came together for the first day of a new Leadership and Conflict Management Skills for Electoral Stakeholders (LEAD) cascade training, bringing perspectives from across Lebanon — from Tripoli and the North to Tyre and the South, the Bekaa, Beirut and the Metn.

The training is delivered by Tamara Hallak, a certified graduate of the LEAD Training of Trainers (ToT), Ephrem Akiki, a semi-certified ToT graduate, together with ECES LEAD Trainer Aous Qutaishat.

Many participants are already facilitators and community organisers themselves. They came ready not only to learn, but to question, debate and challenge, discussing electoral justice in Lebanon’s sectarian system, democratic values, good governance and what responsible leadership means in times of crisis.

And that is exactly the kind of conversation LEAD is designed to foster.

Through practical exercises, role plays and simulations, participants will explore conflict management, information integrity, communication under pressure and countering polarisation, before putting these skills into practice in “Noor District” (دائرة النور), an integrated crisis simulation requiring dialogue, negotiation and leadership under pressure.

Implemented by ECES in partnership with the Arab Center for the Rulw of Law and Integrity (ACRLI), with the support of the 🇪🇺 European Union under the Inclusive Democratic Participation Project , LEAD provides young people with practical tools to turn participation into action, differences into dialogue, and disagreement into something that builds rather than divides. 🇱🇧🤝🇪🇺

.de .de

13/08/2026

The Numbers Are In 📊

Election Day is moving! 🗳️🇿🇲

By 7:00am, 𝟗𝟕% of reporting polling stations were open and voting was already underway, based on reports from 1,339 of 1,500 CCMG monitors by 9:00am.

We’re monitoring. We’re reporting. We’re keeping our 👀

Strong preparations today. Credible elections tomorrow.

European Centre for Electoral Support

13/08/2026

13/08/2026

13/08/2026