Switzerland elected as the new Chair of the Council

December 12, 2024 • By

Ambassador of Luxembourg, Henri Schumacher, Secretary-General of International IDEA, Kevin Casas-Zamora, and Ambassador of Switzerland, Adrian Junker, meeting to hand over the Chairship of the Council of Member States

At the Council of Member States meeting convened on 6 December 2024, at International IDEA’s Headquarters in Stockholm and online, Luxembourg, represented by Ambassador Henri Schumacher, handed over the Chairship of the Council of Member States to Adrian Junker, the Ambassador of Switzerland. The Dominican Republic and Indonesia were elected as the new Vice Chairs. The term of the new troika runs until the next annual Council meeting in December 2025.

Switzerland embraced its new leadership role with great enthusiasm:

“Switzerland is honored to take on the Chairship of the Council of International IDEA in 2025, a testament to our unwavering dedication to promoting democratic values and principles worldwide. This leadership role comes at a key moment when strengthening democracy is essential to harness emerging opportunities and tackle complex global challenges with resilience.

Together with the Vice Chairs, the Dominican Republic and Indonesia, Switzerland is committed to fostering meaningful cross-regional dialogue and driving forward International IDEA’s innovative and adaptive responses to the evolving needs of democracies across the globe.

As Chair, Switzerland will prioritize the transformative links between democracy, inclusion, and sustainable prosperity. We will also take pride in celebrating International IDEA’s 30th anniversary, leveraging this milestone to elevate its global visibility and expand its impact in shaping the future of democracy.”

Ambassador of Switzerland, Adrian Junker, delivers remarks at the Council of Member States meeting, marking the start of Switzerland's Chairship year.

Switzerland has been a Member State of the Institute since 2006 and is among the top contributors of core funding. In 2023, Switzerland and International IDEA reaffirmed their partnership for democracy with a four-year, 3.3 MEUR agreement. Switzerland’s core funds are a critical enabler of the Institute’s knowledge production and allow the Institute to scale and sustain its global operations.

The Institute thanks the departing Chairship troika consisting of Luxembourg, Norway and Uruguay for their exemplary stewardship of the Council and the productive year filled with activities that advanced the Institute’s mission.

Each year, the Council of Member States elects a Chair to lead its work for a term of one year. The primary responsibility of the Chair is to lead the governance agenda of the Institute. Please visit our new Chairship page for more information.