The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to São Tomé and Príncipe deployed 14 short-term observers across the country on 15 July 2026, completing the mission's third contingent ahead of the 19 July elections. Chief Observer Sérgio Humberto, a Member of the European Parliament, said the team would enable a "rigorous, objective and comprehensive assessment" of the electoral process based on long-term observation.
The short-term observers received a two-day briefing on the legal framework, electoral background, voting procedures, political environment, and media landscape before deployment. They will be joined by diplomats from EU member states accredited to São Tomé and Príncipe, bringing the total number of observers on election day to 30, including from Canada. The observers will cover all districts of São Tomé and the Autonomous Region of Príncipe, monitoring polling station opening and closing, voting, counting, and tabulation. The mission's core team of seven electoral experts arrived on 14 June, followed by two long-term observers deployed on 30 June.
The EU EOM will issue a preliminary statement on 21 July, two days after the elections, and will remain in the country until the electoral process is complete. A comprehensive final report with recommendations for improving future elections will be published about two months after the vote and presented to national authorities, political parties, and media.