CPLP to observe Brazil October elections

The Community of Portuguese Language Countries—CPLP in the original Portuguese acronym—will act as observer in the October elections in Brazil, the country’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE) confirmed Tuesday (Apr. 12). It is the first time the organization is coming to the country to monitor the national polls.

During the elections, the members appointed to monitor the process will have access to voting centers and other relevant facilities. The move is expected to help assess the transparency and integrity of the process and should include an exchange of experiences to improve it.

The participation of international watchers in the polls is traditional for the court and has been a practice in other elections in Brazil. In 2020, a mission from the Organization of American States (OAS) observed municipal elections.

This year, the court has also invited missions from the European Union, the OAS, the Mercosur Parliament (Parlasur), the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), and the Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations (UNIORE). Talks are still underway, and the presence of these bodies has not yet been confirmed.