International IDEA

30/10/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗨𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝘁?

That question ran through International IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora’s two-day visit to Oslo, where discussions with Norwegian partners covered support for Ukraine’s democratic future, greater transparency in political finance and the role of democracy in development cooperation.

Norway has been a committed partner since IDEA’s founding. Meetings with Norad including Jorun Nossum, who leads its work on civilian and humanitarian support under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine, as well as State Secretaries Stine Renate Håheim and Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik explored shared priorities, including protecting democratic institutions and building partnerships across regions.

At a joint event with Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) researchers and policymakers explored how global trends in democracy and conflict inform Norway’s foreign and security policy.

🤝 Thank you to our Norwegian partners and the The Peace Research Institute of Oslo for bringing these conversations together.

29/10/2026

What role are political influencers playing in elections?

From voter outreach and civic engagement to covert campaigning, disinformation and foreign interference, influencers are playing a growing role in elections.

Join uOttawa, the Pol Comm Tech Lab and International IDEA for a discussion on the new report "Influence and Political Integrity: Mapping Regulatory Frameworks for Influencers in Elections" exploring its key findings and 17 recommendations for action.

📆 5 November
💻 Register to join the discussion: https://www.idea.int/events/launch-influence-and-political-integrity-mapping-regulatory-frameworks-influencers-elections

Social media influencers are playing an increasingly prominent role in elections, from voter outreach and civic engagement to covert campaigning, disinformation and coordinated foreign interference. As parties, candidates, governments, civil society organizations and foreign actors engage influencer...

29/10/2026

A planned ex*****on by firing squad in the United States has renewed debate over the death penalty.

But this is far from an isolated development.

In the past year, Jordan resumed ex*****ons after nearly a decade, Burkina Faso moved towards restoring capital punishment, and Israel expanded its application in terrorism-related cases.

These developments raise wider questions about human dignity, individual rights and the limits of state power.

Introducing Democracy on Our Radar, a new series where we take a closer look at developments that catch our attention, using International IDEA's data and research to explore the bigger democratic picture.

For this first edition, we're comparing four countries at the centre of recent debates on capital punishment, looking at how they perform across different dimensions of democracy.

And for a bit of global context: according to Amnesty International's latest annual report, at least 2,707 ex*****ons were recorded worldwide in 2025, a 78% increase from 2024. Yet only 17 countries were known to have carried them out. The figures exclude countries where reliable totals are unavailable.

The four countries we're looking at here have different democratic profiles, but these cases raise some of the same fundamental concerns. The death penalty is irreversible. Judicial errors happen. Its application can be unequal. There are risks of state abuse and fundamental rights violations. And there's no established evidence that it deters crime more effectively than other punishments.

👉 Swipe through for a visual snapshot of the data and analysis from International IDEA's Emily Bloom.

28/10/2026

International IDEA has proposed a regional centre in Chișinău to help democracies counter foreign interference in elections, drawing on Moldova’s experience in confronting these threats.

Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora recently presented the proposal during his first official visit to Moldova, in talks with ParliamentMN Speaker Igor Grosu, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi of Ministerul Afacerilor Externe al Republicii Moldova, and Angelica Caraman, Chairperson of the Comisia Electorală Centrală a Republicii Moldova (Central Electoral Commission).

Separate meetings with Liliana Vițu, Director of StratCom Moldova and Mihai Lupascu, Director of the Moldova Agency for Cybersecurity (ASC) focused on information manipulation and digital threats to democracy.

The proposed Regional Facility for Integrity of Elections and Information Resilience would support countries across Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans through expert assistance, practical tools and exchanges between institutions.

Moldova’s work offers a concrete starting point. With International IDEA’s support, its Central Electoral Commission can compare online political advertising and third-party activity with contestants’ financial declarations. Risk assessments and simulation exercises have also helped officials prepare for challenges that later arose during elections.

Discussions covered a proposed cooperation programme for 2027–2029 and Moldova’s prospective membership of International IDEA.

🤝 At a briefing hosted by Ambassade de France en République de Moldavie we met with ambassadors representing France, Embassy of Sweden in Chisinau, Norwegian Embassy in Chisinau, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Moldova and Belgium, alongside representatives of Swiss Cooperation in Moldova and European Union in the Republic of Moldova. Discussions focused on sustaining support beyond election periods, helping institutions anticipate threats and building on Moldova’s experience to support democracies elsewhere.

28/10/2026

🌍 As COP31 approaches, climate finance, clean energy and the 1.5°C goal are in focus. But effective climate action also depends on rights, representation and accountability.

Across Asia and the Pacific, communities are facing growing climate risks while advocating for stronger protections, meaningful participation and climate justice.

Our latest blog explores three priorities for climate action: participation, accountability and justice, and why they matter for people and future generations.

🔗 Read the blog: https://www.idea.int/blog/democracy-challenges-climate-change

27/10/2026

Who gets a voice in building peace?

Peace processes don’t always include the communities living through conflict. So how do civil society and opposition movements make their voices heard when negotiations and transitions leave them out?

On 4 November at the , International IDEA and partners will bring together speakers to discuss how local actors are working towards more inclusive peace and state-building in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria and Venezuela.

Joining the conversation:

🔹 Christine Bell, The University of Edinburgh and PeaceRep: The Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform
🔹 Madame Fifi, Rien Sans les Femmes DRC
🔹 Razan Brghol, .org, Syria
🔹 Benigno Alarcón-Deza, Centre for Political Studies, Venezuela

The discussion will be moderated by Christopher Burnett-Cargill of Sida - Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete

📅 4 November | 08:30 CET
📍 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development, hosted by SIPRI

🔗 More about the panel: https://www.idea.int/events/panel-stockholm-forum-peace-and-development-local-voices-lasting-peace-and-inclusive-state

Organized with International Alert Sida - Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete and The University of Edinburgh.

27/10/2026

Can courts protect ancestral rights amid growing climate pressures?

In the Philippines, litigation has contributed to the recognition of native title, the protection of free, prior and informed consent, the review of government action, and the provision of accountability and remedies. But legal protections alone are not enough: Indigenous communities also need accessible courts, legal support, accountable institutions and the effective enforcement of decisions.

This new International IDEA case study by Raymond Marvic C. Baguilat explores how the country’s courts have shaped Indigenous peoples’ rights, and why meaningful participation and access to justice are essential to climate justice across Asia and the Pacific.

🔍 Read the full case study here: https://doi.org/10.31752/65183

26/10/2026

How are the U.S. midterms shaping election administration and public confidence?

With the 3 November elections approaching, a contentious period marked by executive orders and court decisions is raising important questions about the administration of the elections and confidence in the electoral process.

Join International IDEA and COGEL, Council on Governmental Ethics Laws for a webinar bringing together panelists from different countries to explore these challenges and their implications from a European perspective.

📅 28 October 2026
💻 Register to join the discussion: https://www.idea.int/events/webinar-executive-orders-legal-challenges-and-public-confidence

The U.S. midterm elections will be held on November 3rd.

26/10/2026

European integration and democratic consolidation must advance together. But what does that mean in practice for Albania?

That was a central message during International IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora's recent visit to Tirana.

In meetings with government and parliamentary leaders, including Ministria për Administratën Publike, Ministria për Evropën dhe Punët e Jashtme - Republika e Shqipërisë, Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha and Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Evis Kushi, discussions focused on advancing democratic consolidation alongside European integration, from strengthening parliamentary functions and cross-party dialogue to electoral integrity and digital democratic resilience.

The visit also reaffirmed a shared interest in deepening the longstanding cooperation between Albania and International IDEA.

Amid ongoing street protests and heightened political polarization, the visit also included exchanges with civil society activists and journalists, offering important perspectives on public concerns, issues raised by protesters and the need for inclusive dialogue and meaningful public participation.

International IDEA works with Albanian institutions, including State Election Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi, to strengthen democratic processes, with support from the European Union in Albania | Tirana. Thanks also to Embassy of Sweden in Tirana and the Swedish Ambassador in Albania H.E. Niklas Ström for joining our Secretary General and to the Ambassade de France en Albanie I Ambasada e Francës në Shqipëri and other diplomatic partners for their engagement.

26/10/2026

In Palestine, one of the many challenges is how to keep democratic processes moving under extraordinary pressure.

In April, local elections went ahead across the West Bank and in Deir al-Balah, the first vote held in any part of Gaza in more than two decades. Making it happen required some extraordinary problem-solving: ballot boxes made from repurposed aid-delivery materials, basic phones used to verify voters, and receiving applications via WhatsApp when candidates could not reach election offices.

IDEA's Irene Postigo Sánchez spoke with Ashraf Shuaibi, CEO of the لجنة الانتخابات المركزية-فلسطين Central Elections Commission-Palestine, about what it takes to keep an electoral process moving in these conditions, what the April vote showed, and the challenges ahead as preparations continue for future national elections.

Read the full conversation at https://lnkd.in/evdYuQZE

And don’t miss the short video embedded in the article whosing how the Deir al-Balah ballot boxes were made. It’s a striking glimpse of the ingenuity, persistence and sheer practical work behind making a vote possible when almost nothing about the circumstances is normal.