ODIHR releases final report from election assessment mission for Ireland’s 2025 presidential election

Ireland’s 2025 presidential election was conducted in a competitive and inclusive environment and administered by election authorities in an orderly and professional manner, enjoying a high level of confidence among stakeholders, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a final report released today. The campaign was personality-centred, with online engagement playing a prominent role, while the regulatory framework for digital campaigning remained only partially operational.

The ODIHR election assessment mission’s report, adds that the pre-election context was shaped by public expectations that the government would address persistent socio-economic challenges, including the housing crisis, rising living costs and migration.

The report offers 28 recommendations to bring elections in Ireland closer in line with OSCE commitments and international standards for democratic elections, as well as other international obligations and standards.

Key recommendations include:

• consolidating electoral legislation to improve its accessibility and ensure its consistent implementation;
• ensuring equal voting rights for citizens abroad through uniform voter registration and voting procedures;
• completing the implementation of the regulatory framework for digital campaigning and strengthening the Electoral Commission's oversight of online content during election periods;
• enhancing campaign finance transparency through interim reporting and ensuring adequate resources for effective oversight;
• establishing a stable and independent funding mechanism for public service media;
• introducing statutory deadlines for the timely adjudication of election-related disputes; and
• explicitly guaranteeing access for citizen and international observers to all stages of the electoral process.

ODIHR deployed an election assessment mission on 2 October 2025, which remained in the country until 31 October 2025.

All 57 participating States across the OSCE region have formally committed to following up promptly on ODIHR's election assessments and recommendations. Information on previous ODIHR recommendations and the extent to which they have been implemented so far can be found on page 25 of the report. The ODIHR Electoral Recommendations Database tracks the implementation of recommendations across the entire OSCE region.