EU deploys 16 long-term observers across Gambia ahead of December polls
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has deployed 16 long-term observers across The Gambia as part of efforts to monitor the country’s December 5, 2026 presidential election. The deployment was announced on Thursday, November 5, at a press conference held at the mission’s headquarters at Ocean Bay Hotel, Cape Point, Banjul, where the EU officially launched its election observation mission. The mission is headed by Chief Observer Reinhold Lopatka, a Member of the European Parliament, who said the EU’s presence across the country was intended to contribute to an inclusive, credible and transparent electoral process. Lopatka expressed appreciation to the Gambian authorities for inviting the EU to observe the elections, describing the December polls as an opportunity for t…