Liberia: EU Urges Urgent Electoral Reforms to Safeguard 2029 Poll Credibility
The European Union (EU) has called on Liberian authorities to urgently accelerate electoral reforms, warning that delays could undermine public trust and the overall credibility of the country’s 2029 General and Presidential Elections.
The appeal was made on Friday, May 29, 2026, by Andreas Schieder, Member of the European Parliament and former Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission to Liberia for the 2023 elections, during a press briefing held at the EU Mission office in Monrovia.
Schieder emphasized that Liberia has reached a decisive stage in its electoral reform process, stressing that discussions must now translate into legal and institutional action.
“Time is critical for implementing recommendations aimed at strengthening transparency, public confidence, and democratic governance in Liberia,” Schieder said. “We urge Liberian authorities to transform ongoing reform discussions into concrete measures aimed at improving the credibility and effectiveness of future elections.”
The EU Election Observation Follow-up Mission arrived in Liberia on May 10, 2026, to assess progress made on 22 recommendations issued after the 2023 elections. These recommendations focus on key areas including voter registration integrity, constituency boundary delimitation, campaign finance regulation, electoral dispute resolution, gender inclusion, election administration, and institutional capacity building.
Since its arrival, the delegation led by Schieder has engaged a wide range of stakeholders, including President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., the Board of Commissioners of the National Elections Commission (NEC), the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of the Legislature, political parties, civil society organizations, media representatives, and Liberia’s international partners.
According to Schieder, these consultations revealed broad agreement on the need for reforms, but also a concerning gap between consensus and implementation.
“The picture from those engagements is one of broad agreement but slow execution,” he said. “While stakeholders accept that reforms are necessary, the urgency required to meet the 2029 timeline is still missing.”
He warned that postponing reforms increases risks for the electoral process and public trust.
“Reforms implemented at the last minute create confusion for voters, strain election administrators, and give room for doubt,” Schieder noted. “The credibility of an election is built years before ballots are printed. Citizens need to see the rules, the institutions, and the process working long before election day.”
The EU mission highlighted several priority areas requiring urgent attention. One of the most critical, according to Schieder, is the review of constituency boundaries to correct population imbalances that have emerged since the last census.
He explained that uneven population distribution has led to disparities in representation in the House of Representatives, calling for a boundary review in line with Liberia’s Constitution and Elections Law.
Another priority area is electoral legal reform, particularly amendments to close gaps in campaign finance regulation, candidate eligibility requirements, and electoral dispute resolution procedures.
Schieder stressed that clear and enforceable legal provisions are essential to prevent ambiguity and disputes during future elections.
The mission also raised concerns about funding delays for the National Elections Commission (NEC). According to Schieder, late disbursement of funds forces the Commission to compress critical electoral preparations such as procurement, recruitment, and voter education into short timeframes.
He warned that such constraints increase the risk of administrative errors and weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
“Political will and budget decisions made in 2026 and 2027 will decide whether the next election builds trust or erodes it,” he said.
Gender inclusion was also identified as a key reform area. Schieder noted that while women remain active in civic and community leadership, their representation in elected office remains low.
He urged the adoption of practical measures such as legal incentives, political party commitments, and expanded voter education campaigns to improve women’s participation in politics ahead of the 2029 elections.
The EU mission further emphasized the need to improve the accuracy and integrity of the voter registration system. Schieder pointed to recurring challenges such as duplicate entries, missing records, and data inconsistencies.
He recommended stronger integration between voter registration systems and national population databases to improve reliability and reduce post-election disputes.
“Investing in data integration now will pay off in fewer disputes later,” he said.
Operational readiness of the electoral system was another major concern raised by the EU. Schieder called for continuous training of polling staff, improved logistics planning, and stronger systems capable of handling the pressures of election day.
He also emphasized the need to ensure polling centers are accessible to persons with disabilities and elderly voters, describing accessibility as a fundamental component of inclusive democracy.
In addition, the mission called for equal opportunities for all candidates during campaign periods, including fair access to media platforms. According to Schieder, electoral trust increases when all political actors believe the playing field is level.
Throughout his remarks, Schieder reiterated that the EU’s role is strictly technical and advisory.
“We do not dictate reforms,” he said. “We observe, we recommend, and we support Liberian institutions and citizens in making their democracy stronger.”
As part of its follow-up mission, the EU convened a roundtable discussion with the NEC, lawmakers, civil society actors, and journalists to assess progress since the 2023 elections and identify remaining gaps.
A final report on the implementation status of the EU’s 2023 election recommendations is expected to be released in the coming weeks and shared with the Government of Liberia, the NEC, and the public.
Schieder concluded by stressing that electoral reform is not only a technical exercise but also a political responsibility requiring sustained commitment.
“Inclusive dialogue remains essential to preserving public trust in Liberia’s democratic institutions,” he said.
