The prospect of EU membership continues to drive democratic reforms in Albania, Moldova, North Macedonia and Ukraine. This report—Part 2 of a broader analysis—focuses on electoral processes and the impact of digitalization in these four candidate countries. It assesses progress in aligning with the EU acquis, particularly in areas such as data protection, cybersecurity and digital governance, while identifying persistent gaps in oversight and institutional capacity.

Based on legal analysis and interviews with electoral management bodies, legislators and civil society, the report examines how the four countries are addressing challenges such as disinformation, foreign interference and online campaigning. It offers recommendations to strengthen regulation, improve cooperation among institutions and uphold fundamental rights as electoral frameworks adapt to the digital sphere in the context of EU accession.