The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), in a report it published on Monday, said it would be would be observing Turkey’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections set to take place on June 24, highlighting the need for an increase in the number of observers.
"In addition to a core team of experts, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights recommends the secondment of 28 long-term observers from OSCE participating States to follow the electoral process countrywide, and 350 short-term observers to follow election day proceedings," the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in its report dated May 16.
The ODIHR deployed 11 experts and 24 long-term observers to monitor Turkey’s controversial April 2017 presidential referendum, in which a shift to an executive presidential system was narrowly approved.
Up to 2.5 million votes are suspected of having been manipulated during the presidential referendum an Austrian member of the Council of Europe observer said in April 2017.
However, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said that the Union "respect and recognise" the decision of the referendum on the presidential changes, "even if we acknowledge that there are appeals ongoing or foreseen."
