On 25 April and 12 May the country was struck by two major earthquakes. These devastating events provided a strong impetus to speed up the process of constitution drafting which had been stalled for years due to political disagreements and changes of government.
September 20 became a historic day for Nepal as the new constitution was promulgated, a source of celebration for many and of frustration for some.
International IDEA Secretary-General Yves Leterme will be in New York City for a string of high-level events at United Nations Headquarters. Friday, 25 September, marks the opening of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, preceded in the morning by an address to the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly by Pope Francis.
The Kingdom of Bhutan has been focused on establishing an Electoral Training Resource Center (ETRC) through the project “Enhanced Capacity of the Election Commission of Bhutan” initiated in 2012. This International IDEA project with the Election Commission of Bhutan includes a series of events, workshops and training sessions for staff from the ECB as well as other stakeholders.
International IDEA’s Electoral Risk Management Tool has been used with great success in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Nepal and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On 16 September, Nepal’s Constituent Assembly passed the new constitution – after many years of delay due to disagreements between political parties. It was approved by 507-25 votes in the 601 seat assembly while some smaller opposition parties boycotted the vote. Protests over federal makeup continue in southern parts of the country.
Nearly 400 people gathered in the Swedish Parliament on Wednesday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of International IDEA on 16 September.
Una de las preguntas más recurrentes de la investigación política, desde los tiempos de La República, de Platón, y La Política, de Aristóteles, ha sido: «¿Cuál es la mejor forma de gobierno?».
En épocas más recientes, esta inquietud ha vuelto a ser considerada y formulada en el ámbito de la investigación empírica como «¿En qué consiste una buena democracia?» o, mejor aún, «¿Qué es la calidad de la democracia?».
A radio spot with essential information on the National Voter List Display that started on September 14, is now available for free download.
Given recent actions by some countries to hamper the efforts of civil society actors, this 15th of September provides a crucial opportunity to highlight the key role that a strong civil society plays in fostering democratic institutions. That is why International IDEA will be hosting an International Day of Democracy event at UN Headquarters on fostering space for a robust civil society throughout the globe.
International IDEA’s Democracy and Development Programme co-hosted an event at the 25th World Water Week in Stockholm on 26 August. World Water Week is an annual conference organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) which attracts more than 3,000 participants engaged in water and development issues from all over the world.
In preparation for the historic 8 November elections, the Union Election Commission has launched “Let’s go and check the Voter List” in Myanmar. The animated cartoon encourages massive participation in the National Voter List Display that starts in only three days, on 14 September.
Voters are urged to check their personal information on the lists, to make sure they can vote on 8 November.
La ocasión para tomar el pulso a la situación política, económica y social de la región no pudo ser más oportuna.
STOCKHOLM—Mr Kofi Annan, Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation and former United Nations Secretary-General, will give a keynote address as part of International IDEA’s 20th anniversary celebration in Stockholm, Sweden, on 16 September. The celebration will highlight International IDEA’s achievements in the past 20 years as well as prospects for continued action.
Wrapping up the three-day Global Conference on Money in Politics, International IDEA Secretary-General Yves Leterme highlighted the need to look ahead and take the experiences shared and gained in Mexico to continue the work on the issues involved in money in politics.
Following a four-year suspension, Haiti held the first round of the parliamentary elections on 9 August. Now in preparing for the run-off elections as well as the first round of the presidential and local elections scheduled for 25 October, there are some lessons to be learned to ensure a successful outcome.
Founded in 1995 by 14 Member States, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is the only intergovernmental organization with the mission to support sustainable democracy as its sole mandate.
To commemorate its 20th Anniversary, we look back and reflect on the organization’s beginnings and the context for its foundation back in 1995.
All political parties need funding to play their part in the political process, yet the role of money in politics is arguably the biggest threat to democracy today.
Stockholm, Sweden – International IDEA Secretary-General, Yves Leterme, was on a working visit to Bogotá on 23-26 August. Accompanied by International IDEA Latin America and the Caribbean Director, Mr Daniel Zovatto, the Secretary-General attended the Club de Madrid New Generation Democracy Forum for the Americas and met with key officials from Colombia.
