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In the current interim period in Myanmar, with an illegitimate military regime in power and efforts by the interim governance institutions under way to build and enable a transition to a genuine democracy, the formation of an interim electoral management body—like a government and a legislature—is urgent and necessary as a key institution to support and prepare for the restoration of democracy.

Under its MyConstitution programme, International IDEA continues to support the legitimate interim government institutions of Myanmar in their pursuit of restoring democracy and constitutional governance since the 2021 coup, together with an increasing number of young civil servants who are emerging as change-makers in Myanmar’s interim National Unity Government (NUG), its interim parliament, the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) and the inclusive platform of the pro-democr

Lobbying  and the giving of donations to political parties are viewed as integral to a democratic process, providing alternative means of political participation for many corporate actors, interest groups, among others (International IDEA 2020, 2022).

The first Summit for Democracy, held in December 2021, brought together leaders from governments, representatives of the European Union and the United Nations with some involvement of civil society and the private sector. The objective was to set out an agenda for democratic renewal.

Indonesia’s media landscape is certainly one of extremes—it is both the largest news media market in southeast Asia and one of the most complex. Like most countries in the region, there are well-founded fears about fake news and defamation, and the impact both are having on the country’s democratic process.

While the the United Kingdom is often considered to have one of the most transparent political finance systems, it is still unclear how more than 1 in every GBP 10 was spent at the last UK general election.

Constitutions establishing presidential and semi-presidential systems of government are characterized by the parallel popular legitimacy of the legislature and the president.

International IDEA presented its latest data on gender quotas at the Albania 2022 International Forum for Gender Equality “Equality and Me”, which focused on developing a stronger commitment for gender equality. The Forum held on 27 May provided a platform for key national actors/stakeholders to discuss national collective responsibility and explore pathways towards gender equality and inclusiveness in decision-making processes in Albania.

Under the theme of ‘Taking Parliament to the People’, International IDEA and Bhutan’s Parliamentary Secretariat jointly hosted a three-day workshop for members and staff of the country’s parliament. Held from 20-22 May 2022, the workshop was designed to increase the use of public hearings in Bhutan’s parliamentary process.

Across Africa, civil society is using the courts to protect the environment from governments and companies. It is part of a wider campaign for climate justice in the continent that has brought together both elder and younger generations as well as social media. Lawyer and activist Lindlyn Moma has first-hand experience of the transformation happening on the ground.
 

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.

International IDEA participated in the SDG16 Conference 2022 in Rome on 21-22 April 2022, on behalf of the SDG16 Data Initiative. Building on the outcome of the 2019 and 2021 editions, the 2022 Conference explored how a people-centered approach to governance can help rebuild trust, accelerate progress towards sustainable development and tackle the challenges facing a post-pandemic world.

Lessons for future elections can been drawn from both the success and failures of the Republic of Korea’s 20th presidential election in 2022, which was, in part, significantly informed by the 2020 National Assembly election.

A NEW CONSTITUTION FOR MYANMAR: Towards Consensus on an Inclusive Federal Democracy provides a study of the constitutional history and trajectory of Myanmar, together with an analysis of the positions of certain key stakeholders in Myanmar with regard to constitutional issues.

On 1 February 2021, the Myanmar military staged a coup and unconstitutionally declared a one-year state of emergency transferring all state powers to the Commander-in-Chief. Against the backdrop of Myanmar’s political crisis and a steady transformation commonly known as the ‘Spring Revolution’, the broadest front of resistance, known as the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), endorsed and published a new Federal Democracy Charter in April.

Kenya promulgated a new constitution in August 2010, creating a solid legal platform for enhancing participatory governance through devolved structures at the county level. The establishment of a devolved system of government aimed to facilitate access to power and to move control over resources from the central government to the counties.

Assessing Sudanʼs Electoral Legal Framework provides an in-depth insight and analysis of Sudanʼs current legal framework for elections. It measures Sudanʼs legal electoral framework against a common international understanding of the principles, norms and obligations that define credible and democratic elections.

The business of running election campaigns is integrated into democratic practices in countries around the world, yet little attention has been paid to the organizations that profit from working with political parties, or to the accountability mechanisms that surround this industry.

IDEA Internacional y el Programa de Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD) han lanzado hoy la “Iniciativa Conjunta para el Fortalecimiento de la Gobernanza en América Latina y el Caribe (LAC)”.