The European Union Expert Mission has presented its findings and recommendations for the 2022 National General Election during the Observation Seminar at the PNG National Research Institute in Port Moresby.
The Deputy Head of Mission Dr. Razvan Silvin Jora stated that the poor state of the electoral roll has affected the whole process.
He said PNG Electoral Commission had a weak administrative capacity to organize the 2022 National General Election.
The Head of Mission stated that the general election 2022 had a high enthusiastic voter turnout with no official data of 60 – 100 %.
PNGEC was not able to organize elections in a uniform way. There was a significant difference between regions especially in the Highlands as they experienced violence or security issues.
Dr Jora stressed that the election demonstrated serious shortcomings on several key international standards for democratic elections. There were serious incidents of election- related violence with more than 40 casualties.
He said the electoral commission failed to organize the 2022 election efficiently and transparently.
However, he mentioned that PNG voters demonstrated remarkable patience and also the New Government had called for an audit of this election and a reform of the election process which is a positive action.
The European Union Elections Expert Mission 2022 recommends that a thorough review of the electoral roll is needed with priority including biometric voter registration, financial independence of the PNGEC, women participation should be improved and a simplification of the procedures and time frame could be set by the Organic law for the National Court and the Supreme Court.
The Deputy Head of Mission concluded that regulations should be established to allocate free airtime during the campaign period to electoral contestants by state-owned audio-visual broadcasters on equal or proportional terms, granted on the basis of transparent and objective criteria.
