Michael Gahler MEP has been appointed as Head of the Election Observation Mission of the European Union for the elections in Pakistan on 11 May 2013 by the Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Gahler previously headed the EU mission for the parliamentary elections in 2008.

On the occasion of his appointment, Mr Gahler said: "I am optimistic for the process of the elections as the conditions are much more favourable than they were five years ago. Supported by the EU, Pakistan has created conditions for the implementation of transparent and democratic elections."

The EU Election Observation Mission will operate politically independently under the responsibility of Gahler and comprises 120 people. As well as going to the headquarters in Islamabad, as of early April, a team of 52 long-term observers will pursue the preparation and conduct of the elections in different regions in the country. In the days leading up to election day, another 46 short-term observers will be delegated. The observers are from the 27 EU Member States as well as Canada.

As Head of the Election Observation, Gahler will report his preliminary assessment at an international press conference the day after the elections. About two months after the election, Gahler will present the final report of the mission in public and will hand it over to the Pakistani authorities. The report will evaluate the electoral process in detail, and if necessary, will give recommendations for future elections.

With a population of 180 million people, Pakistan is the sixth largest country in the world, as well as the second largest Muslim state. After the end of various military dictatorships, the nuclear state is in the process of democratisation. The official development aid from the EU and its Member States for Pakistan was around €634 million in 2010.

For further information:

Michael GAHLER

BRU - Phone: +32 (0)2 2845977 Fax: +32 (0)2 2849977

Email: michael.gahler@europarl.europa.eu

Stella Mancini

German and Luxembourgish press

E-mail: stella.mancini@europarl.europa.eu

Phone: +32 473 866138