A six-strong delegation of MEPs will travel to Sierra Leone to observe presidential, parliamentary and local council elections to take place on 7 March.

MEP Neena Gill (S&D, UK) will lead the European Parliament Election Observation delegation that is also composed of Frank Engel (EPP, LU), Claudia Schmidt (EPP, AT), Joachim Zeller (EPP, DE), Norbert Neuser (S&D, DE) and Jordi Solé (Greens/EFA, ES). They will be integrated into the EU’s long term Election Observation Mission that is headed by the Chief Observer, Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, UK).

Prior to Election Day, MEPs will meet with members of the National Election Commission and of the National Election Watch, as well as with leaders and other representatives of political parties, the media, civil society and the long term observer mission. 

On Election Day MEPs will observe polling in the capital Freetown, the adjoining peninsula, and Bo, the second city of Sierra Leone in the far south of the country. They will also observe the counting and the processing of results.

On the day following the elections, MEPs will evaluate their findings and those of the long-term observers.

The EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) will be wrapped up by a press conference scheduled on Friday 9 March.

Background Following an invitation from the Government of Sierra Leone, the European Union (EU) has decided to deploy an Election Observation Mission for the Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Council elections scheduled for 7 March 2018.  This is the fourth time that the EU is observing general elections in Sierra Leone, which reflects the EU's long-term commitment to supporting credible, transparent and inclusive elections in the country.