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EU’s Conclusions on democracy support echo recommendations of International IDEA-led global consultations 		   
 
The recent conclusions of the European Union’s Council on Democracy Support in the EU’s External Relations are a significant step in the right direction – a step that International IDEA warmly welcomes and sees as a strong echo of its own process of global consultations on the role of the EU in democracy building.

» Read more
 		   
 
By Vidar Helgesen, Secretary-General 		   
 

FOCUS: 30 years of democracy in Latin America

    
 
Elections in Bolivia, 6 December 2009
Photo ©: Courtesy of La Prensa, Bolivia 		   
  Colloquium on 30 years of democracy in Latin America    
  Posted: November 12, 2009    
 
To commemorate 30 years of democratization in Latin America, International IDEA co-organized a colloquium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on 28–29 October 2009, focusing on topics such as democracy, growth with equity, and social cohesion. 		   
 
» Read more


    
 
Democracy at crossroads: the challenge of illicit finance in politics
Highlights from the International IDEA 2009 Democracy Round Table 1–2 December, Mexico City 		 
  Posted: December 11, 2009  
 
Rarely has an International IDEA event managed to connect so directly a major political concern of a Member State with an emerging global challenge to democracy. 		 
 
» Read more
 
Women’s political participation in Colombia: a challenging road ahead 		 
  Posted: December 7, 2009  
 
The UNDP-International IDEA project in Colombia has for some years been working to increase women’s political representation and inclusion. This year training was offered to 50 female congressional candidates; and training was also provided to nearly 400 women from different parties running for local office in 77 municipalities and 20 departments across the country. 		 
 
» Read more
 
Promoting dialogue and channels for reform in Peru 		 
  Posted: November 9, 2009  
 
In the annual LatinoBarómetro survey, Peruvian institutions have long had the lowest public approval rating in the region. Congress especially has little legitimacy, although paradoxically it is the institution that is needed to remedy the problem through giving effect to reform. Given public scepticism toward Congress and the legislature’s difficulty in promoting institutional changes, who can push change along? 		 
 
» Read more
   OTHER NEWS

  
 
New Board members: Margot Wallström and Soledad Loaeza
  
 
On 3 December 2009, at the yearly meeting of International IDEA’s Council of Member States, Ms Margot Wallström (Sweden) and Dr Soledad Loaeza (Mexico) were elected as new members of the Institute’s Board of Advisers. Ms Wallström is currently Vice President of the European Commission responsible for Institutional Relations and Communication, and Dr Loaeza is professor and researcher at the Centre of International Studies of El Colegio de México.

  
  Interview with Justice Albie Sachs on constitution building: "Never [lose] sight of the principal goal – an enduring constitution for your country"
  Posted: December 2, 2009
 
Justice Albie Sachs, former chief justice of the South African Constitutional Court, visited Nepal in November 2009 and met Constituent Assembly members, the judiciary, political party representatives and others supporting the constitution building process in Nepal. Justice Sachs' visit was part of the International IDEA Nepal project's south-south exchange component.
 
» Read more
  Swedish EU Presidency receives recommendations on EU's Role in democracy-building worldwide
  Posted: December 2, 2009
 
During the annual European Development Days in Stockholm (23 October 2009), International IDEA officially handed over its report Democracy in Development - Global consultations on the EU's role in democracy building to Ms Gunilla Carlsson, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation.
 
» Read more & see video
  BRIDGE Train the Facilitators held in South Africa
  Posted: December 2, 2009
 
Two separate BRIDGE Train the Facilitators (TtF) programmes were organized by International IDEA in Pretoria in the latter part of the year.
 
» Read more
  Community of practice to address election-related conflict and violence
  Posted: November 2, 2009
 
Election-related violence has become widespread – especially in Africa – and there is a pressing need for electoral assistance providers and others to come up with a means of mitigating conflict during elections.
 
» Read more
  Political Parties, Participation and Representation
  Posted: December 7, 2009
 
International IDEA’s work on political parties is being reorganized and will now take place under the framework of a new programme, Political Parties, Participation and Representation.
 
» Read more
  New Asia and The Pacific regional programme
  Posted: November 15, 2009
 
International IDEA has launched a new programme focusing on Asia and The Pacific region. Already the Institute operates in Nepal, and has had other regional involvement over the years. The new programme marks a consolidation across a region of increasing global political and economic significance with an experience of democracy building as broad as on any other continent.
 
» Read more
 
   NEW PUBLICATIONS
 
Tendencies of Constitutionalism in Latin America (Spanish) Paths to Parity: Women’s Participation and Representation in the Post-Constituent Assembly (Spanish)

In celebration of the region’s 200 years of independence, this report seeks to offer reflection and insight into the key changes and state of affairs that have emerged.

» Read more


 This publication focuses on the road that women have travelled to exercise full political citizenship in Bolivia.

» Read more
Thinking Politics: Think Tanks and Political Parties in Latin America (Spanish) Assessing the Quality of Democracy: A Practical Guide (Spanish)

Investigates the characteristics of the historical relationship between think tanks and political parties in Latin America.

» Read more
Now available in Spanish, introduces International IDEA’s State of Democracy (SoD) assessment framework, developed for use by local actors in assessing the quality of their democracies and mounting reform agendas.

» Read more
Democracy in Development - global consultations on the EU’s role in democracy building    

This is the result of global/regional consultations led by International IDEA and sponsored by Sweden, aimed at producing a deeper understanding of how the EU can best assist democracy building efforts worldwide.

» Read more

 
 
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
Tel: +46 8 698 37 00, Fax: +46 8 20 24 22 | E-mail: info@idea.int | Web: www.idea.int
Editors: James Lenahan and Monika Ericson
International IDEA, Strömsborg, SE-103 34 Stockholm, Sweden
© 2009, International IDEA. All rights reserved.
 
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