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Money is an essential resource for politics and voter outreach. However, if not effectively regulated, it can compromise the integrity of political processes and democracies. Effective state regulation of funding of political parties and election campaigns (commonly known as political finance) and their implementation are vital for promoting the integrity, transparency, and accountability of democratic systems of government.

On the 22nd and 23rd of November 2023, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in partnership with members of the Network for the Promotion of Constitutionalism in Eastern Europe is organizing a roundtable discussion 'Democratic Resilience: Does Institutional Design Matter?' in Yerevan, Armenia.

Join our online roundtable that aims to contribute to a better understanding of the current and likely future effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on democracies in Armenia, Georgia and Moldova. In addition, the discussion will aim to distill recommendations on how national and international democracy assistance providers should revise their actions in response to this crisis.

Elections are one of the most effective tools to counter democratic backsliding and regain momentum for democracy. However, if elections fail, democracy’s ability to recover and reboot falters. For this reason, competitive, inclusive, and transparent elections serve as a cornerstone of a functioning democracy. 

On July 2-3, 2024, the Republic of Moldova hosted the Regional Conference on Money in Politics 2024, themed "Money in Politics in the Era of Globalization and Digitalization." This significant event brought together over 150 participants from nine countries, including political finance oversig

Los días 2 y 3 de julio de 2024, la República de Moldavia acogió la RConferencia Regional sobre el dinero en la política 2024, con el tema "El dinero en la política en la era de la globalización y la digitalización".

Despite widespread claims that parliamentary systems with an indirectly elected president produce better outcomes for democratic governance, constitutional reform to move away from a directly elected president to an indirectly elected president is extremely rare.

This Case Study is part of The Global State of Democracy 2023 Report. 

The European Union’s Eastern Partnership (EaP) covers six countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The Covid-19 pandemic put a strain on fledgling democracies in the EaP region, aggravating pre-existing concerns, such as the weak rule of law, insufficient accountability of executive branches vis-à-vis legislatures and fragile media freedoms (see International IDEA 2022).

Armenia, Georgia and Moldova continue to strengthen their democratic systems. Achievements, albeit with many challenges, include improvements to the conduct of elections, increasing the transparency and accountability of government institutions, and maintaining an open civic space for citizens and media to openly debate, question, or challenge their governments.

Political parties are the centrepiece of political representation in democratic systems.

Post-conflict democratization has always been regarded as an ordeal, and democracy-building in the South Caucasus countries is no exception.

The countries of the region—Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia—are telling examples of the fact that elections are insufficient for the establishment of democracy.

International IDEA and the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development (CIPDD) organized a conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 2005 on constitutional and political reform in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. It was dedicated to the exchange of information about the reform process in the three South Caucasus countries and the prospects for their European integration.

These essays tell the story of elections that took place in 2003 in the three countries of the South Caucasus, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, seen through the eyes of nine regional participants and commentators.

The authors therefore write with the immediacy and the vibrancy that comes with close engagement, and sometimes take strong judgments based on their individual standpoints as the processes unfolded.

On 25 November, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), in partnership with Vytautas Magnus University and the European Humanities University, will hold International Conference “Constitutionalism in Europe: Current Challenges and Prospects for the Future”.