AfD calls for election observation before local elections in Lower Saxony

Before the local elections in Lower Saxony, calls are circulating on social networks to observe the counting in polling stations. “Trust is good, control is better!” writes the AfD Wesermarsch on Facebook and recommends that its supporters become active as election observers. The “Nordwest-Zeitung” initially reported.

The party advises visiting the polling station shortly before closing, writing down the numbers announced verbally by the returning officer and later comparing them with the published results. “You may document and report any irregularities that may occur,” the post says. “Strengthen our democracy as an election observer in your community!”

Election observation is carried out according to strict principles

The Elections Platform views such calls critically. Every citizen has the right to be present when the votes are counted. But election observation must be carried out according to strict, internationally agreed principles. “These include political neutrality, transparency of methods, non-interference in the electoral process and organizational independence,” emphasized the founder of the Elections Platform, Stefanie Schiffer. “None of this is the case with the right-wing extremist, AfD-affiliated networks that are currently calling for election observation.”

Instead, the narrative of deliberate manipulation of elections is being spread, thereby promoting distrust in electoral processes and democratic institutions, the organization criticizes. The platform therefore assigns such calls for election observation to the area of ​​disinformation.