On 1 December 2023, International IDEA’s Council of Member States, chaired by the Netherlands, unanimously approved a membership request from France. The country joins the intergovernmental organization as its 35th Member State. France’s membership comes with a strong message of support for the Institute’s work, including a foreseen core contribution of 500,000 EUR for 2024 to back the Institute’s operations and knowledge production. Additionally, France proposed to provide a seconded expert who would play a leading role in shaping the Institute’s work in the field of political participation and parliamentary cooperation.
The French ambassador to Sweden, Etienne Le Harivel de Gonneville, attended the Council meeting in Stockholm and welcomed the Council’s support to his country’s membership application: “We are humbled and honoured to join International IDEA today, to join this fraternity of nations united by a common goal to support democracy in the world.”
International IDEA’s Secretary-General Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora commended the Council’s decision: “On behalf of International IDEA, I want to express how happy we are of France joining the Institute today. This is truly an important milestone for the organization, but also for the democracy community as a whole”.
France’s application for membership was preceded by years of close collaboration and dialogue with the French embassy in Stockholm and a successful mission of International IDEA’s Secretary-General to Paris to discuss a deepened collaboration with the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Development Agency in areas such as electoral and parliamentary assistance as well as climate change and democracy.
Support for inclusive democratic development is central to France’s foreign and development policies, which also underline the importance of human rights and good governance. International IDEA looks forward to the enhanced collaboration in these crucial areas and to support France in its ambitions to advance democracy in its priority areas and regions.
