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The past decade has witnessed several electoral successes for Islamist movements in the Arab world, an issue which has stimulated a broad political and academic debate around how democracy can and will develop in the region.

In some circumstances, traditional mechanisms can complement conventional judicial systems and provide the potential for promoting justice, reconciliation and a culture of democracy.

Little systematic knowledge exists relating to how political parties are regulated and how they function internally in different countries. There is also very little known about the operational problems parties face.

The objective of International IDEA’s Programme of Research and Dialogue with Political Parties is to contribute to an environment that is conducive to the development of political parties, and thereby to contribute to democracy.

Political parties are the heart of politics in a representative democracy. However, parties also have the potential to become a political liability to democracy. Whether political parties prove to be an asset or a liability depends crucially, among other things, on the context within which they operate, their mode of internal governance and how they respond to external political stimuli.

Ideally, political parties should be the institutional transmission belt that conveys the will of the voter to government and back. They are the vehicle through which popular sovereignty is expressed and then transformed into public policy and action. In addition, multiple parties provide a mechanism for competition, so that voters have a choice in conveying their mandate to the rulers.

Reconciliation is highly complex process that involves many different issues, stages and actors.

There is no ‘one-size-fits’ all success model, nor a quick-fix solution. It is also a time-consuming process, which, as several seminar participants and the seminar noted, affects the lives of several generations. A long-term approach to promoting reconciliation is thus essential.

This report provides a broad, comparative analysis of 27 African countries and 75 political parties. The data was assembled during 2004–06 and was followed by national and sub-regional dialogue workshops between political parties, researchers and civil society.

The agenda for reform that emanated from the research and dialogue process is reflected and discussed in the report.

The level of political representation of women in different legislative bodies around the world varies greatly, standing at 16.9 percent in the world’s legislatures in 2006 on average.

The uneven political playing field on which women and men compete has led to a number of reforms—primarily quotas or other positive action strategies—designed to safeguard the presence of women in parliament.

Internal pressures and advocacy for change have raised awareness and precipitated debates about the nature and need for reform processes in many Arab countries.

Such debates have drawn in a diverse range of groups articulating interests and defining their own political programmes. In this context, electoral processes, women's participation and political parties have emerged as central issues in political reform agendas in the Arab world.

Internal pressures and advocacy for change have raised awareness and precipitated debates about the nature and need for reform processes in many Arab countries.

Such debates have drawn in a diverse range of groups articulating interests and defining their own political programmes. In this context, electoral processes, women's participation and political parties have emerged as central issues in political reform agendas in the Arab world.

The process of building democracy in complex transitions is a daunting but necessary task.

The design of political, institutional and legal systems can play a critical role in ensuring the sustainability and the advancement of democratic systems, by providing adequate mechanisms to manage conflicts within limits of peaceful coexistence and by promoting consensus around a set of core principles.

Internal pressures and advocacy for change have raised awareness and precipitated debates about the nature and need for reform processes in many Arab countries.

Such debates have drawn in a diverse range of groups articulating interests and defining their own political programmes. In this context, electoral processes, women's participation and political parties have emerged as central issues in political reform agendas in the Arab world.

This report examines women’s political representation on the African continent, and shows how quotas have contributed to increasing women’s access to political power.

This report contains the findings and recommendations that emerged from the comprehensive evaluations of democracy at the local level in four cities in East and Southern Africa.

How does a newly democratized nation constructively address the past to move from a divided history to a shared future?

How do people rebuild coexistence after violence?

This Handbook presents a range of tools that can be, and have been, employed in the design and implementation of reconciliation processes. Most of them draw on the experience of people grappling with the problems of past violence and injustice.

Litigating election disputes is contentious, complex, and excessively technical. The technicality of electoral dispute litigation is fueled by the strict requirements of the Electoral Act, coupled with judicial attitudes over the years. The complex and technical nature of election petitions is largely responsible for the failure of election tribunals and courts to address the grievances of litigants despite efforts at resolving such election disputes.

International IDEA and the Ministry of Justice of the Gambia in partnership with the Department of Political Affairs of the AUC are organizing a brainstorming session on "Constitution-Building Process and Transitional Justice: Comparative Experiences from Africa" in Banjul, Gambia on 15 March 2018. 

The objectives of the brainstorming session will be to:

-  Assess the status of the constitution-reform process in the Gambia - issues and processes;

International IDEA in collaboration with the Organisation International De La Francophonie and Department of Political Affairs of the African Union Commission are organizing a Colloquium on the New Developmental Approach to Natural Resource Governance: "Lessons Learnt, Experience Sharing and Emerging Practices for Parliamentarians and Political Party Leaders in African Count

At the core of our work in Nigeria is strengthening our criminal justice systems and improving alternative ways of seeking redress, with the aim of improving justice delivery and reducing prison overcrowding.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen their strategic partnership in strengthening regional capacities for democratic governance, effective electoral processes, political participation, mediation and conflict prevention in IGAD's Member States.