With the disappearance of the East-West conflict and a historic wave of democratization worldwide, more and more states adopting democratic procedures and rules have come to regard the certification or validation of their election results by a trained, objective and independent election observation mission as not only highly desirable, but in many cases absolutely vital. The International Election Monitors Institute seeks to assist in this important process with a dedicated and professional program for the recruitment, training and funding of former parliamentarians from Canada, the European Union, and the United States to serve as international election observers and monitors, as well as participants in post-election democracy building projects. Former legislators, particularly when paired with colleagues from other parliaments, can serve a vital role during an election-monitoring mission in the many nations trying to establish a democratic government based on transparency and rule of law.
The International Election Monitors Institute provides basic training prior to a monitoring mission for former legislators of the United States, Canada, and Europe in legally effective and internationally accepted election monitoring duties and guidelines (including the United Nations Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct for International Election Observers).
The Institute collaborates with reputable democracy strengthening organizations which already have an established in-country presence (and have selected, organized, trained and can supervise supporting personnel such as interpreters, drivers and in-country political and legal experts necessary to carry out each individual monitoring mission and implement any needed logistical arrangements). Former legislators from the United States, Canada, and Europe are also involved in post-election democracy building endeavors in countries where recent elections were observed by the Institute.
In each country in which its official representatives take part in an election observation and monitoring mission, IEMI seeks to accomplish a number of goals. The Institute serves as an impartial witness expressing the international community’s support for the successful implementation of democratic principles in the election process. It increases public confidence in the election process in the actual election venue, and detects and exposes fraud and irregularities when they occur. Relative legitimacy of an electoral process and outcome are assessed before, during and after an election in accordance with internationally accepted rules. IEMI enhances the meaningful nature of the electoral process itself and augments respect for civil, human, and other fundamental political freedoms under the rule of law and rights in accordance with internationally recognized principles and obligations set forth in international law. With each election undertaken, the Institute makes official public assessments of the election process before, during and after the election, and encourages the political candidates to accept the results of a legitimate electoral process peacefully.
Through the accomplishment of these goals, lasting contributions to the resolution of conflicts, substantive aid in creating democratic institutions and significant legitimization of the electoral processes in the respective countries are achieved. The Institute also recommends future steps in the democratic process to be taken by a country that hosted an IEMI delegation. The Institute works in tandem with other international election monitoring organizations to ensure transparency within the field.
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