An election cannot be described as “participatory” based solely on voter turnout, the European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission has said, emphasizing that meaningful participation requires the inclusion of all relevant political and social groups.
Speaking at a press briefing at a hotel in Dhaka on Saturday, mission chief Ivars Ijabs outlined the EU’s position following Thursday’s parliamentary election, in which results were declared for 297 seats and voter turnout was reported at 59.44 percent.
Responding to questions from journalists about how participatory the election was in the absence of the Bangladesh Awami League, Ijabs said the mission’s primary mandate was to observe the electoral process itself.
“We are here to observe the election. Our interest is in the process,” he said, adding that issues such as “transitional justice” are often painful and sensitive for many countries, including in Europe. “However, elections are a way forward.”
Ijabs described the poll as “highly competitive,” noting that around 2,000 candidates contested the election, offering voters a wide range of choices. “In that sense, I believe this election represents a genuine step forward for Bangladeshi democracy,” he said.
When asked whether the reported turnout reflected broad-based participation across different opinions and political strands, Ijabs cautioned against equating participation solely with percentages.
“Historically, voter turnout in Bangladesh has fluctuated—sometimes higher, sometimes lower. This result appears to be somewhere in the middle,” he said. “But we do not assess participation only in terms of numbers.”
He pointed out that declining voter turnout is a concern in many democratic countries, including in Europe. “Numbers are not everything,” he added.
According to the EU mission chief, a participatory election should be assessed based on whether all relevant segments of society are able to take part and whether any group has been excluded.
“Participatory means including all political and social groups that wish to express their interests through the election,” Ijabs said. “So when we speak of participatory elections, voter turnout alone is not the sole criterion.”
The Awami League did not take part in the election due to restrictions on its political activities, and its electoral symbol was not included on the ballot paper.
