section_path: Conduct
section_name: Conduct
paragraph_text: Conduct
  
  The Gabonese foreign ministry said that the African Union and the European Union would send observers to monitor the election. Around 3,000 polling stations were utilised to serve around 920,000 voters, including 28,000 based overseas. The Gabonese Civil Society Organizations Observation Mission said at least 94.8% of the polling stations that it observed operated under satisfactory conditions, while 98.6% of polling stations operated in a satisfactorily transparent manner.
  
  According to initial reports, international observers "did not notice any major incidents". The Commonwealth Observer Group praised the presidential election as calm and orderly, and commended the improved media landscape with media stakeholders experiencing reduced state interference in editorial content, but called for citizens to become more involved in the electoral process. However some opposition heavyweights who could have posed a serious political challenge were excluded from the race according to the BBC.