International IDEA supports Ukrainian delegation exchange visit to Poland on out-of-country voting

Following the recommendations from the Parliamentary Electoral Dialogue convened in Brussels in May 2023 by International IDEA and the European Parliament, Ukrainian authorities are diligently examining the conditions in host countries for organizing out-of-country voting (OCV) for Ukraine's future post-war elections. Special attention is paid to countries hosting significant populations of Ukrainian refugees and eligible voters. With approximately 981K–1.8M of Ukrainians reallocated to Poland, the country ranks among the top two European nations regarding refugee population size. Consequently, Poland was selected as the site for the consultative OCV visit, highlighting its strategic importance in the broader electoral framework.

Ukrainian diplomatic delegation visits Poland

On March 10-12, 2025, International IDEA organized a pivotal visit for the Central Electoral Commission of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ukrainian diplomatic missions in Poland in Warsaw. The Ukrainian delegation engaged in in-depth discussions with their Polish counterparts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and the National Electoral Commission (NEC) of Poland. The conversations focused on Poland's seasoned expertise in facilitating out-of-country voting for other nations within Polish territory, as well as exploring viable options for coordinating such voting mechanisms for Ukraine’s forthcoming post-war elections for Ukrainian voters residing in Poland.

During the meeting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussions were centered on critical aspects regarding the procedures for establishing polling stations outside of embassies and consulates, ensuring the security of the electoral process and cooperation with local government officials regarding potential material support. Given the unprovoked aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, it is imperative to facilitate the voting rights of the large Ukrainian displaced community residing in Poland. The detailed mechanisms and timelines for requesting permission to open these polling stations were thoroughly explored. Furthermore, the Polish authorities reassured their Ukrainian counterparts of their commitment to safeguard the electoral process and their willingness to cooperate well in advance of elections. Discussions touched upon standard security protocols necessary to follow prior OCV administration.

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During the meeting with the National Electoral Commission of Poland, the discussions focused on different roles and responsibilities of the MFA and the NEC regarding administering OCV as per Polish and host countries laws. Additionally, the dialogue touched upon Polish previous experiences in facilitating out-of-country voting for other nations, leveraging this historical expertise to enhance the current collaboration.

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Engagement with META

Representatives of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine met with representatives of Meta to discuss how the organization that operates platforms where public discourse takes place ensures the responsibility to protect people’s ability to make their voices heard and ensure that the platform is prepared to deal with elections globally and in a particular country. Definition of political content, political advertisement and organically generated content, global policies, engagement tools and the existing transparency measures to prevent malign actors from using social platforms to significantly influence people's opinion and undermine election outcomes, were discussed. 

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Engagement with Ukrainian Diaspora in Poland

The Ukrainian delegation engaged with Ukrainian activists from throughout Poland. The gathering was attended by over 20 Ukrainian community leaders, representing a wide array of associations covering the entire territory of Poland. During the meeting, Ukrainian authorities sought input from these community leaders on the proposed model for organizing out-of-country voting in Poland. Discussions focused on several critical areas, including voter registration, voting methods, the formation of precinct election commissions, training for election officials, conducting voter education campaigns, and the establishment of election results. 

Representatives of the Ukrainian community expressed their eagerness to assist in organizing out-of-country voting for the upcoming post-war Ukrainian elections. They confidently stated their belief that Ukraine will ensure its citizens have ample opportunities to participate in the decision-making process, which will shape the country's future.

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Meeting with the Council for Relations with Ukraine at the Prime Minister's Office of Poland

During the visit, the Ukrainian delegation met with the Prime Minister's Office of Poland to discuss cooperation with the Polish government on the post-war elections in Ukraine. The discussion centered around key challenges that will require involvement of the Polish government to help Ukraine to conduct its post-war elections in Poland, given the significant number of Ukrainians in Poland.  

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Organizing Ukraine's first post-war elections presents unprecedented challenges due to substantial damage to the electoral infrastructure and the displacement of millions of voters both within and outside the country. International IDEA continues its support for Ukrainian authorities—including the Parliament of Ukraine, the Central Election Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as other state and civil society actors - to determine the most effective model for out-of-country voting (OCV) in the upcoming post-war elections. The visit to Poland marks the fifth in a series of consultative trips, following earlier visits to Spain, Moldova, Romania and Italy. A report and recommendations from the Parliamentary Electoral Dialogue are available for further details.