US bars OSCE observers from 2026 congressional election, raising Swedish concerns

The United States has decided to exclude the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe from observing its 2026 congressional elections, a step that Swedish parliamentarian Håkan Svennelian says mirrors actions taken by Russia and Georgia. He warns that this could create a precedent encouraging other nations to reject international monitors. The OSCE’s international chair, Pere Joan Pons, criticized the move as inconsistent with the Copenhagen Document of 1990, which affirms the value of observer missions.

Sweden intended to dispatch a delegation of eight members of the Riksdag to the United States for a brief period surrounding the November mid-term vote, to contribute to a post-election report. Svennelian doubts the decision will affect the heavily scrutinized US election but notes the Swedish side now has a budget surplus that could be redirected to other monitoring missions.