Germany expects Bangladesh’s upcoming national election to be free, fair, credible, and participatory.
On Wednesday, at a Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) talk held at the National Press Club, German Ambassador Dr Rüdiger Lötz expressed this expectation.
The German ambassador said: “We expect the election to be free, fair, credible, and participatory. We also hope for high voter turnout. The chief adviser has mentioned that about 60% of voters will cast ballots, and we share that expectation. During the campaign, we hope political violence will be minimal.”
Responding to a question about voter turnout, Rüdiger Lötz said that turnout varies across countries. In Western countries, it ranges from 50% to 80%. With this, there are no questions about the election’s legitimacy. “The higher the voter turnout, the better. A turnout of 50–60% is considered good.”
The German ambassador also supported ongoing reform processes after the election. He said that the current reforms are very important—covering security, rule of law, and political arrangements.
“We clearly see that greater political transparency will emerge, corruption will reduce, and more efficient governance will follow. This will foster stronger trade relations. We hope political parties remain committed to reforms even after the election. We have emphasized the importance of reforms when speaking with political parties," he added.
Rüdiger Lötz added that the July Charter represents a clear commitment, with all details explicitly outlined.
