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Dialogue is a process that helps stakeholders voice their interests and opinions in a non-violent way. There is no guarantee that stakeholders engaged in dialogue will reach agreement on divisive issues, but simply engaging in dialogue with each other may increase respect between participants and build a sense of inclusion over time, allowing for changes needed to create sustainable peace.  

Myanmar held credible national elections in 2015 and has followed up with well-run by-elections in 2017 and 2018. But despite these achievements at the national and state/region level, Myanmar has never held a municipal election with universal suffrage. Until 31 March that is.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this commentary are those of the staff member. This commentary is independent of specific national or political interests. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the institutional position of International IDEA, its Board of Advisers or its Council of Member States.

International IDEA concluded on 5 April 2019 a series of Learning Sessions, which ran in the Philippines between April and September 2018. The Sessions were run in partnership with the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG), the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department and the Senate Economic Planning Office with funding from the Australian Embassy to the Philippines.

International IDEA and the Thammasat University sealed its partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in honour of the legacy and dedication to democracy building of the late Dr Surin Pitsuwan, former Chair of the Board of Advisers of International IDEA. 

While there are general principles that apply to the judiciary in all federations, there are different ways of structuring a federal judiciary and allocating authority, or competence, to it.

Each approach raises different issues for consideration and decision. The choices made can be informed by comparative experience but will depend on the context and preferences of each federation.

To form a closer relation with the Melanesian countries and further strengthen International IDEA’s activities in the Pacific region, an extension of the MoU was signed with the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat.

This question set the tone for the study visit to the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden by a high-level delegation of federal and local government officials from Nepal.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this commentary are those of the staff member. This commentary is independent of specific national or political interests. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the institutional position of International IDEA, its Board of Advisers or its Council of Member States.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this commentary are those of the staff member. This commentary is independent of specific national or political interests. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the institutional position of International IDEA, its Board of Advisers or its Council of Member States.

The Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) is an annual summit that brings together senior government officials and other notables from the Asia Pacific region and around the world to grapple with a theme in democracy.

“Government and civil society have a role to play to ensure that democratic reforms are well-implemented”, said U. Ganbold, Head of the Public Administration Department, Governor’s Office in Ulaanbaatar City at the Public Forum on Strengthening Public Service Accountability through Citizen Participation held on 6 December 2018 at the Khangarid Palace, Ulaanbaatar City.

Sandwiched between China and Russia, Mongolia’s democracy is in constant peril. The country’s political turmoil is not only prompted by the geopolitical forces outside of its borders, but also from creeping corruption from within.

Since 2015, Myanmar has witnessed three elections - general elections in 2015 and by-elections in 2017 and 2018. Although the political will towards reform measures for better elections has increased dramatically since 2015, where people born after 1962 had a chance to experience genuine elections for the first time, for some areas within the democratic reform process, including campaign finance, there is still room for improvement.

Malaysian and international election experts convened for a two-day Electoral Reform Roundtable on 30 November and 1 December 2018, in Kuala Lumpur, to discuss wide-ranging reform of the electoral system and options for ensuring fair and transparent electoral processes. Malaysia’s 14th General Election in May 2018 unexpectedly ended 61 years of rule by the Barisan Nasional since independence in 1957.

Dr Surin Pitsuwan served as Chair of the International Board of Advisors until his unexpected passing on 30 November 2017.  He was survived by his wife Alisa and three children. Surin Pitsuwan served as Secretary General of the ASEAN Secretariat (2008-2012) and as foreign minister of his home country Thailand from 1997 to 2001.

Fiji’s 2018 parliamentary elections took place on 14 November with over 630,000 registered voters at 2,173 polling stations, including advanced and postal voters. With heavy rain and a tropical disturbance throughout the voting day, the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) postponed voting in 25 polling stations to 17 November. This year’s turnout is expected to be lower compared to the 2014 elections.  

Yangon is at a critical juncture on its path towards democracy as its administrative body, the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC), is preparing for the first ever fully democratic municipal elections in Myanmar early next year.

Mongolia’s political finance regulatory framework faces significant challenges. Lack of enforcement, influence of private business interests and various loopholes have eroded people’s confidence in politics and posed obstacles for women and youth to access positions of power and decision making at all levels.

International IDEA co-hosted the Third Annual Melbourne Forum (MF3) on “Implications of Culture for Constitution Building” on 15-16 October 2018 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Melbourne Forum on Constitution-Building is organized jointly with the Constitution Transformation Network at Melbourne Law School.