EU observers barred from Philippine polls during voting

The European Union (EU) Election Observers Mission stated on Monday that it was unable to meaningfully observe the voting process during the 2025 Philippine elections due to restrictions imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec chairman George Garcia affirmed the decision to bar international observers from entering polling precincts, emphasizing adherence to existing Philippine laws.

The EU mission criticized Comelec's insistence on following local regulations, stating that nearly half of the country’s Omnibus Election Code are no longer acceptable and undermine legal certainty.

Despite these limitations, all EU observers were deployed for the counting process after polls closed at 7 pm, but only before and after voting hours to prevent insinuations of interference or influence.

Comelec invited the EU mission to observe the electoral process in the Philippines to assess if it remained true to the Constitution, local laws, and international commitments on democratic elections.

The EU mission deployed 82 teams in 92 polling precincts and was denied entry in 8 precincts, affecting their ability to ensure meaningful observation of voting phase as originally planned.