International Republican Institute (IRI)

23/12/2024

The October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia presented an opportunity for citizens to elect representatives who share their vision for Georgia’s future.

However, IRI's Electoral Observation Mission found that a legal framework and regulatory practices that hindered genuine electoral competition, misuse of public resources by the ruling government, the targeting of civil society; obstruction of opposition parties, systematic voter intimidation, and lack of public confidence and trust in institutions contributed to an election that was fundamentally flawed.

Read the full report here:

Final Report of the 2024 Parliamentary Election

16/12/2024

Meet Marina Dimovska, Secretary General of the Assembly of North Macedonia.

Read about how Marina has benefitted from the House Democracy Partnership's programming in our latest alumni profile:

The House Democracy Partnership (HDP) is a bipartisan commission of the U.S. House of Representatives that works directly with over 20 partner parliaments

12/12/2024

On the latest episode of By The People, we tackle the recent election in Moldova.

On October 20th, Moldovans went to the polls to vote for president and on a referendum on EU membership. The International Republican Institute's (IRI) election observation mission was on the ground to observe the proceedings, and found significant foreign interference, including vote-buying, propaganda, and cyberattacks.

One of the leaders of IRI’s election observation mission in Moldova, former Congressman Peter Roskam, joins us to unpack the implications of the elections for Moldovan democracy and the wider region.

Listen to the episode here:

https://hubs.ly/Q02_qZb00

09/12/2024

Today, on International Anti-Corruption Day, we at IRI are reaffirming our commitment to fighting corruption worldwide as part of our mission to advance democracy.

Learn more about our work here:

https://hubs.ly/Q02_0tD80

03/12/2024

Cuban democracy activist Manuel de Jesús Guillén Esplugas was killed in prison after being unjustly imprisoned for recording and sharing videos of protests.

Read IRI's statement here:

https://hubs.ly/Q02-cc6P0

02/12/2024

"Like all dictatorial regimes, Tehran fundamentally fears its own people."

In new analysis for National Review, IRI President Dan Twining makes the case for bolstering US support for Iran's freedom fighters.

Read the full piece here:

The new administration should leverage the regime’s unpopularity as part of its ‘maximum pressure’ redux.

22/11/2024

In Timor Leste, the lack of emphasis on civic education in the country’s education system and limited access to news remains a significant barrier to citizen engagement.

From limited internet connectivity to lack of consistent news sources in the Tetum language, many Timorese do not have the information they need to make informed political choices or communicate effectively with their government.

The IRI-supported "Talk to Me!" television program promotes access to information on pressing political issues. Episodes feature government officials, local experts, and citizens from across the political spectrum discussing topics such as economic development, agriculture, and elections in an engaging and accessible format.

Learn more about the program and its impact here:

On a small island off Australia's northern coast, 1.3 million Timorese citizens continue to build a vibrant democratic society, working to strengthen

20/11/2024

In Episode 10 of IRI's podcast By The People, we delve into the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia - a process marred by systematic voter intimidation, legal irregularities, and widespread distrust in the Central Election Commission's impartiality.

We unpack these issues in a conversation with former Congressman John Shimkus and IRI President Dr. Daniel Twining, both of whom were on the ground as part of IRI's election observation mission, and assess implications for Georgian democracy and the wider region.

Listen here:

https://hubs.ly/Q02YZ0HK0

19/11/2024

Forty-five democracy activists, including Joshua Wong, were given prison sentences of up to ten years for taking part in an unofficial primary election in Hong Kong.

Read IRI's statement here:

https://hubs.ly/Q02YP8Bh0

13/11/2024

The latest public opinion poll in Ukraine conducted by IRI's Center for Insights in Survey Research (CISR) shows that strong majorities believe that Ukraine will defeat Russia and are committed to recapturing all territory.

According to the poll, 88% of respondents said they will win the war, and 71% of adults think that the government should recapture all lost territory. Further, 64% of Ukrainians are willing to take on a higher burden of the war by increasing the military tax.

Read the full results here:

https://hubs.ly/Q02Y4KFN0

04/11/2024

IRI's International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) today released its preliminary findings on Moldova’s November 3, 2024, presidential runoff.

Key Insights:

Russian Interference: Foreign interference, including vote-buying, information influence operations, and cyberattacks were less effective, despite increased efforts, than in the first round.

Increased Voter Turnout: Nearly 1.7 million Moldovans voted, marking a significant increase from the first round. Polling stations were well-staffed and organized.

Transparency and Oversight: Strong participation from domestic and international observers ensured a high level of transparency at many polling stations.

CEC’s Strong Performance: The CEC successfully administered polling stations abroad, implemented postal voting, and maintained stations for Moldovan citizens that reside in the Transnistrian region, despite security concerns.

Read the full statement here:

Chişinău, Moldova – The International Republican Institute's (IRI) International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) today released its preliminary

01/11/2024

Launched in 2023, The Global Network for Securing Electoral Integrity (GNSEI) convenes more than 30 organizations and networks around a shared vision: to inspire and inform action to advance electoral integrity in the face of critical threats to democracy. It offers a standing platform for regular collaboration between peers in the electoral integrity community to promote awareness and adherence to existing norms and good practices, and, where there are gaps, shape consensus around new guiding principles.

IRI has been proud to work with GNSEI to produce Guidelines for Safeguarding Election Management Body Independence in Engagement with Other Public Institutions, a new report to support election management bodies (EMBs) to assert, protect, and promote their independence as they carry out their mandates in collaboration with other public institutions.

Read more here:

2024 has been a year of elections around the world, with a potential 1.8 billion people headed to the polls. Each contest provides individuals with an