The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has deployed 16 long-term observers across The Gambia as part of efforts to monitor the country’s December 5, 2026 presidential election.
The deployment was announced on Thursday, November 5, at a press conference held at the mission’s headquarters at Ocean Bay Hotel, Cape Point, Banjul, where the EU officially launched its election observation mission.
The mission is headed by Chief Observer Reinhold Lopatka, a Member of the European Parliament, who said the EU’s presence across the country was intended to contribute to an inclusive, credible and transparent electoral process.
Lopatka expressed appreciation to the Gambian authorities for inviting the EU to observe the elections, describing the December polls as an opportunity for the country to further strengthen its democracy.
He said the mission hoped to observe an election campaign and election day that would allow legitimate candidates to contest and voters to freely express their choices.
The 16 long-term observers, drawn from 15 EU member states and Switzerland, will cover different parts of the country. They will engage with local election officials, political candidates, party representatives, civil society organisations and media institutions to assess the electoral environment.
The mission’s Core Team, comprising eight analysts and supported by operational, logistics and security experts, arrived in Banjul on October 21 to assess the political, legal and electoral framework, including traditional and social media coverage.
Lopatka said the mission would be reinforced shortly before election day with 20 short-term observers, a delegation of seven Members of the European Parliament and locally recruited observers from EU member states and partner diplomatic missions.
He clarified that EU election observation missions do not certify or validate election results, stressing that this remains the responsibility of the relevant national authorities, particularly the Independent Electoral Commission.
The EU mission will remain in The Gambia until the completion of the electoral process. Lopatka is expected to return in December to present the mission’s preliminary findings at a press conference two days after election day.
