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NDI E-news: North Africa, Liberia, Ecuador | May 2011

fgalleto — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:27:35 +0000

May 2011

Across North Africa, Citizens Find Their Voice

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On one wall of Tahrir Square in Benghazi, Libya, people leave pictures of those who died during the reign of Muammar Gaddafi, including during the uprising that began in February. Photo by Maroun Sfeir.

With the major changes taking place across North Africa, NDI is expanding its activities in Egypt and Tunisia, where citizen uprisings led to the overthrow of authoritarian rulers and events are unfolding quickly as citizens work to organize new democratic systems.

In Libya, where citizens are fighting for freedom, NDI sent a team to Benghazi earlier this month to assess what Libyans will need for a democratic transition. Les Campbell, NDI director of Middle East and North Africa programs, writes about his experiences in this first-person account. "There is such a hunger for information ... The isolation of this part of Libya was profound and what is going on now is a genuine awakening."

NDI has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Transitional National Council (TNC), outlining ways the Institute can support Libya's transition by working with both the TNC and civil society.

Young people protest against regional discrimination in Le Kef, a city in northwestern Tunisia.

In Tunisia, NDI is beginning a second round of focus group research to learn how political parties are viewed and what issues citizens are most concerned about. As Tunisia prepares for its first democratic elections in more than 20 years, set for July 24, the Institute will share the findings with political parties to help them draft platforms and campaign strategies that address the needs of Tunisians.

In April, NDI brought Polish Solidarity leader and former defense minister Janusz Onyszkiewicz and retired Indonesian general Agus Widjojo to Cairo for a series of consultations with Egyptian political leaders and civic activists on political transitions. Discussions focused on how opposition groups can prepare for elections on an accelerated timetable, overcome internal divisions and navigate a transition to democracy that is being directed by the military with limited public input. Most Egyptian political parties are focused on September's parliamentary elections. NDI has been helping them develop campaign strategies and skills, and work on new campaign techniques, such as door-to-door campaigning, that have traditionally been resisted by Egyptian activists. NDI has also been working with parties to organize candidate debates and with civic groups to discuss electoral reform.

Meanwhile, NDI and the government of Bulgaria signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at sharing that nation's experience in democratic transitions with countries in the Middle East and North Africa. "As a country that has spent the past two decades undergoing a massive and often difficult transformation from dictatorship to democracy, Bulgaria has much to share with those who are now struggling to instill those same changes in their societies," said Nikolay Mladenov, Bulgaria's foreign minister, at a signing ceremony at NDI. Already, Bulgarian political leaders have visited with new political parties in Tunisia to share lessons learned.

Arabic language publications

NDI offers a number of manuals and handbooks designed to help civil society organizations, political parties and governments through democratic transitions. The Institute's most recent manual,
Political Process Monitoring: Activist Tools and Techniques, helps citizen groups monitor electoral campaign conduct as well as scrutinize government performance. The Institute also offers 75 Arabic language publications on topics such as advocacy, women's participation, democratic governance and using technology for more effective communications.

'Small Small' Improvements to Liberian Bill Tracking Improve Transparency

Reporting from Monrovia, Liberia, Program Manager Brittany Danisch explains how small improvements to the legislature's bill tracking system have had a big impact. Listen to the audio or read the transcript»

Sudanese Civic Group Gives Mostly Positive Marks to South Kordofan Polling Process

Elections held in the Sudanese state of Southern Kordofan were generally well conducted despite a number of deficiencies, according to the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE), an NDI partner. SuGDE deployed 90 citizen observers for the gubernatorial and state legislative elections. Read more»

Serbia Debates Electoral Reform as Precursor to EU Membership

Serbia's election system — particularly the manner in which citizens vote for representatives in parliament — is seen as one factor keeping the country from membership in the European Union. NDI brought 80 members of academia, government and civil society together to create recommendations on amending the electoral law. Read more»

Former Congresswoman Emphasizes the Value of Oversight to Russian Duma

Constance Morella, former U.S. representative from Maryland, recently appeared before the Russian Duma to testify on behalf of a bill that would increase congressional oversight in Russia — an important legislative branch check on executive authority. Morella was invited to testify by Just Russia, a party NDI has been working with on issues of democratic governance. Read more»

Democracy is...Tolerance

"Voices from the Middle East: Democracy is Tolerance" is a new video using material submitted online through Democracy is..., a public-private partnership in which NDI is a partner. The program asks young people around the world to complete the phrase "Democracy is..." through videos, tweets and photos submitted online. The video combines entries from across the region with common themes of equality, diversity and tolerance.
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Parliamentarians, Business Leaders Work Together in Mauritania to Improve Economy

In Mauritania, parliamentarians joined forces openly with representatives of the business community for the first time in the country's history this month. The two groups agreed to submit an official report to the Mauritanian National Assembly detailing issues and recommendations, and to establish a commission promoting ongoing collaboration between government and the private sector. Read more»

Cleaner Hospitals is Subject for Legislator Training in Ecuador

The poor hospital hygiene that may have been responsible for a recent string of infant deaths in Ecuador became a case study for a legislative training program organized by NDI. The program simulated ways to seek and incorporate citizen input into legislation that would improve regulation of hospital conditions. Read more»

Macedonian Code of Conduct Asks 'What Mark Will We Leave?'

Macedonian political parties signed a code of conduct ahead of snap parliamentary elections, calling on parties to respect the electoral law and foster a tolerant campaign atmosphere free of violent or intimidating rhetoric, fraud, bribery and proxy voting. The code is the eighth NDI has sponsored, and adherence to the codes has increased over the last eight elections. Read more»

Electoral Fairs Bring Politics Out of the Box in Peru

In the weeks leading up to last month's Peruvian elections, NDI partnered with Transparencia, a leading civic group, to organize a series of candidate debates and electoral fairs that gave citizens from outside the capital the opportunity to interact personally with candidates. Read more»

Marching Ahead: A Profile Book of Women Constituent Assembly Members

The April 2008 elections in Nepal marked a historic and unprecedented step forward for that nation's women, who won one-third of the seats in the Constituent Assembly, the body tasked with drafting the new Nepali constitution. A new book, Marching Ahead: A Profile Book on Women Constituent Assembly Members, profiles 24 of these women, sharing their stories as inspirations and role models for the next generation of women leaders. Read more»

NDI Joins Bulgarian Government to Aid Reformers in Transitional Democracies

rrunyan — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:27:43 +0000

As democratic activists in the Middle East and North Africa have stepped up their fight for freedom, NDI and the government of Bulgaria have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to cement their partnership in aiding reform movements in the Muslim world and other transitional regions.

"As a country that has spent the past two decades undergoing a massive and often difficult transformation from dictatorship to democracy, Bulgaria has much to share with those who are now struggling to instill those same changes in their societies,” said Nikolay Mladenov, the foreign minister of Bulgaria. Mladenov, who was in Washington, D.C., for meetings with the Obama administration, signed the agreement at NDI with Kenneth Wollack, the Institute’s president.

The partnership, as outlined in the MOU, envisions cooperation between NDI and the Bulgarian government to organize and host study missions for elected and appointed public officials and civil society activists. Trainees would come from the Middle East, the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region.

"Democratic transitions in Europe and in Bulgaria provide examples for new political leaders seeking to overcome legacies of autocratic rule,” Wollack said. “Understanding the impact of rapid political change can help them avoid certain pitfalls and remain on course during a challenging time.”

In past years, NDI has brought participants from its program in Iraq to observe elections and meet with counterparts in Bulgaria, as well as Romania and Serbia. Under the newly signed MOU, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry and its Diplomatic Institute would assist NDI in sponsoring and organizing such visits to Sofia. The collaboration recognizes both the Institute’s long-standing expertise in the field of democracy development and Bulgaria’s firsthand lessons in the challenges of a democratic transition.

Bulgaria’s willingness to step forward as a contributor nation and share its experiences is an indication of the dramatic makeover it has undergone since 1990, when it overthrew its communist government in favor of democracy and western alliances. Since then, it has attempted to reform virtually every aspect of its political and economic systems, culminating in invitations to join NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007. However, Bulgaria continues to face its own challenges, primarily rampant corruption, which it is struggling to combat.

“No one is suggesting that Bulgaria is the sole model of democracy,” Mladenov said. “Each country must pursue its own vision of political change, based on its culture and history. Nonetheless, we believe that our experiences, both positive and negative, can offer valuable lessons to those who are now embarking on the path toward democracy.”

Mladenov has participated in past NDI programs in Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere.

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Pictured above: Nikolay Mladenov (left), the foreign minister of Bulgaria, and NDI President Kenneth Wollack participate in a ceremony to sign the MOU.

Published April 27, 2011

NDI E-news: Democracies in Transition, African Elections | March 2011

fgalleto — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 22:25:16 +0000

March 2011

Emerging Democracies Learn from Transition Experiences of Other Countries

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Sergio Bitar, who helped found the Party for Democracy during Chile's democratic transition, recently returned from Cairo.

Democratic transitions take time and patience. Each country is different, seeking to adapt the principles common to all democracies to its unique character and circumstances.

But there are also lessons to be learned from the experiences of other nations that have made the shift from autocracy to democracy — a process that has just begun in Tunisia and Egypt, where citizens are deciding on new constitutions, leaders, political parties and other elements of their new societies.

In Tunisia, NDI recently brought experts from Bulgaria, Hungary and Portugal to meet with Tunisian political party leaders to share experiences from their countries' democratic transitions. Similarly, in Egypt, transition leaders and experts from Chile, Indonesia, Poland, Romania and Serbia are meeting with civil society and party leaders. They were able to discuss a range of issues including relations with the military, reconciliation processes, coalition building, and electoral and constitutional reform.

Krastyo Petkov, involved in the democratic transition in Bulgaria, with NDI Senior Program Officer Gabriella Borovsky in Tunis.

Against this backdrop, 50 experts from Europe and North America met in Brussels this month as part of an ongoing transatlantic dialogue on democracy support, co-chaired by by Jerzy Buzek, president of the European Parliament; Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. secretary of state and chairman of NDI; Javier Solana, former EU high representative for the common foreign and security policy; and Vin Weber, former U.S. representative and board member of the National Endowment for Democracy. In a statement, the participants expressed their support for democratic reform movements and called on the transatlantic community to emphasize democracy assistance within the transatlantic relationship.

NDI also hosted a roundtable for rising democratic powers, including representatives from Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa, on democracy support. These countries have valuable experience in democratic and economic development, but they are often not present in discussions on democracy support because they tend to be neither major donors nor recipients of development assistance.

As part of the two-day roundtable, Indonesia's ambassador to the U.S., Dino Patti Djalal, spoke about his country's transition to democracy and compared it to events unfolding in the Middle East and North Africa. "My advice to many of the countries undergoing democratic transitions is, don't let fear drive you," he said in a talk at NDI.

Youth Academy Empowers Tomorrow's Political Leaders in Rwanda

People under the age of 25 comprise two-thirds of Rwanda's population, but they are largely excluded from political life. NDI's recently expanded Youth Political Leadership Academy helps young leaders acquire practical political skills needed to have a say in their country's future. Read more»

Film Urges Nigerians to "Activate the Power of their Thumb"

As Nigeria prepares for presidential, legislative and gubernatorial elections, a new short film, "My Vote Fit Change Naija," urges Nigerians to vote as a peaceful means to achieve change in their country. Produced by Youngstar Foundation and NDI, the film links voting to potential improvements in jobs, roads, electricity and health care, and stars a number of famous actors from the Nigerian film industry. Read more»

Election Monitors Note Minor Problems as Niger Peacefully Elects New President

Peaceful elections in Niger this month received praise from nonpartisan citizen election observers, despite a number of administrative problems surrounding the voting. NDI's partner, the Nigerien Association for the Defense of Human Rights, trained 2,025 observers who were stationed in all of Niger's eight regions on election day. Read more»

West African Election Observers Promote Credible Elections

In West Africa, some elections have led to successful transfers of power, while others have been marked by widespread fraud. Citizen election observation groups from 11 countries have formed the West Africa Election Observers Network (WAEON) to help ensure accountability, increase honesty and accuracy, and improve the credibility of elections in the region. Read more»

NDI Reports: Spring 2011

The new issue of NDI's newsletter, NDI Reports, explores how the mapping of election data can identify trends or anomalies in election results, examines recent advances and setbacks in women's political participation, and reports on a new global network for citizen election monitors.

Read the newsletter or browse the archives»

First Parhamovich Fellow Bringing More Young Women into Politics

Two years after her visit to the U.S., Ferdos Majeed, the Institute's first Parhamovich fellow, helped to launch the Young Women's Leadership School in Iraq. Read more»

Tijuana Civic Groups Use Opinion Research to Strengthen Police Reform Proposal

A recent study conducted by NDI's partner, the Citizen Coalition for Public Security, shows that while residents of Tijuana believe security improvements have been made, the perception of municipal police is still largely negative. The coalition is using the data to work with local elected officials on making improvements in public security. Read more»

Policymakers Share Strategies to Help Roma Minorities

A summit meeting held recently in Romania brought together officials from eight countries in Central and Eastern Europe who are responsible for policies to assist Roma minorities. Though there are an estimated 10 million Roma in Europe, they remain largely excluded from the political system due to discrimination, segregation and poverty. Read more»

NDI Celebrates 100th Annual International Women's Day

Hon. Nora Shimming-Chase (right) speaks with a participant at NDI's International Women's Day event in South Africa.

The 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, an annual observance of the achievements of women around the world, was celebrated this year with a recognition of past triumphs and calls to action for promoting women's equality. NDI marked the occasion with events in Colombia, Kosovo, South Africa and Washington, D.C.

At any given time, nearly 75 percent of NDI country programs have a dedicated component addressing women's political participation, a recognition of the words of NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright that "the political participation of women results in tangible gains for democracy, including greater responsiveness to citizen needs, increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines, and more sustainable peace."

Tunisian Political Parties Learn from Transition Experiences of other Democracies

fgalleto — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:50:53 +0000

As Tunisia emerges from decades of autocratic rule, long restricted political parties are grappling with a sudden freedom to organize. Under President Zine El-Abadine Ben Ali, who Tunisians toppled in January, many opposition parties were outlawed and political debate was severely constrained. Since his departure, more than 40 new parties have been authorized by the transitional government, with about 20 more awaiting registration.

As Tunisia emerges from decades of autocratic rule, long restricted political parties are grappling with a sudden freedom to organize.

Under President Zine El-Abadine Ben Ali, who Tunisians toppled in January, many opposition parties were outlawed and political debate was severely constrained. Since his departure, more than 40 new parties have been authorized by the transitional government, with about 20 more awaiting registration.

These new parties are struggling with an influx of members and their newfound ability to work openly for the first time. Eager, like all Tunisians, to take part in their new democracy, the parties are seeking practical advice on how to recruit and accommodate members, create a platform, engage in productive debate and move their country toward a more stable democracy.

While Tunisia’s circumstances are unique, lessons and models from other countries that have made the transition from authoritarianism to democracy offer some useful insights. Matyas Eorsi, Alberto Costa and Krastyo Petkov — experts from Hungary, Portugal and Bulgaria, respectively — journeyed to Tunisia recently to meet with leaders and members of emerging, established and formerly exiled Tunisian political parties. All three were involved in their countries’ transition experiences and in determining critical elements of the democratic political systems they developed. NDI organized the experts’ visits.

Eorsi, who visited Tunisia last month, has been active in politics for the last 20 years. He was a founder of Hungary’s opposition Alliance of Free Democrats, in the 1980s and played a key role in organizing Hungary’s transitional referendum on key constitutional questions.

"In a democracy, everyone is debating, no one agrees and it’s messy," he said during a meeting with Tunisian party leaders. "But at least it provides feedback and options, and you have the chance to correct bad decisions to better ones."

Petkov and Costa visited Tunisia in March. Costa, a student movement leader in the revolution that toppled Portugal’s Antonio de Oliveira Salazar in 1968, said, "the moment of the revolution is exciting, but it is what comes after that is the most important."

“The moment of the revolution is exciting, but it is what comes after that is the most important.”

- Alberto Costa

A former six-term member of parliament from the Portuguese Socialist Party and former Minister of Justice and Interior, he noted, "there will, of course, be problems in a new democracy, but they can only be solved by publicity and compromise among all relevant actors."

Stories by Petkov about the Bulgarian case resonated with the Tunisians when he visited in March. They face a daunting task trying to unite new opposition parties to support a new constitution and an orderly transition. In Bulgaria, the opposition parties staged a series of dialogues around the country that ultimately led to the creation of guiding principles for a new constitution and a negotiated new party law. Tunisian party leaders wanted to learn about mistakes made during the Bulgarian transition, such as rushing into an election without giving opposition parties enough time to organize, thereby contributing to the victory of the former ruling party.

"Political and economic change needs to be started in parallel," warned Petkov, who was a president of Bulgaria’s Confederation of Independent Trade Unions and a former member of parliament. "In Bulgaria, too much attention was placed on the new constitution — which took more than two years to construct — and political leaders underestimated the immediate need to address social and economic legislation."

The experiences in Bulgaria, Hungary and Portugal also provoked discussion among the party leaders on the transition role of the military, criteria for political parties to participate in elections, which parties survived past the early days of the political transition and why, and the role of trade unions in political affairs.

In the coming month, NDI will organize dialogues and exchanges with experts from Slovenia, Spain, Romania and other countries with comparative experiences. For the last 10 years, NDI, working outside Tunisia, has maintained close working relations with Tunisian partners. Since the fall of Ben Ali, as it works to support the country’s transition, the Institute has maintained a consistent presence in Tunisia, where it has been meeting with political leaders from across the ideological spectrum, members of key commissions overseeing the political transition, activists in civil society and academia, and representatives of the international community.

Related:

Pictured above: Krastyo Petkov with NDI Senior Program Officer Gabriella Borovsky in Tunis

Published on March 29, 2011

Denitsa Sacheva

fgalleto — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:06:11 +0000

Denitsa Sacheva is NDI's part-time resident program coordinator in Bulgaria, where she implements programming for the Roma regional initiative. Before joining the Institute in 2009, Ms. Sacheva worked in a variety of positions in and out of government, including with more than 15 international projects funded by the EU Commission, the World Bank, USAID, UNICEF and UNDP. She has also worked on a number of projects related to Roma development including establishment of Roma health mediators, dissemination of health information and organization of health prevention, among other activities in Roma communities.

In 2001, Ms. Sacheva founded her own PR and advertising agency, IntelDay Solutions, that specializes in health and social sector communications, international public relations, political marketing and heritage management, Internet communications and social media. The International Public Relations Association presented IntelDay Solutions with its Golden World Award in 2007 for excellence in public relations in the public sector category.

Ms. Sacheva's initial professional experience focused on health care. In 2001 she was one of the founders of the International Healthcare and Health Insurance Institute, a leading think-tank in Bulgaria in the area of health sector policy. Earlier, she headed the Office of the Minister of Health of Republic of Bulgaria, worked for the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, and was one of the first 10 employees of the National Health Insurance Fund in Bulgaria. She chairs the Bulgarian branch of the International Public Affairs Association and is a member of the European Association of Communication Directors. Since 2005, Ms. Sacheva has taught public relations practice classes at the New Bulgarian University in Sofia.

Ms. Sacheva graduated cum laude with a master's degree in public relations from Sofia University and also holds a master's degree in health management from the University of Bourgas, Bulgaria. She earned a bachelor's degree in social pedagogy from the South-West University, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria and a degree in tourism management from the Hoge Hotel School, Maastricht, Netherlands. Ms. Sacheva has pursued additional trainings and qualifications in health, social services and communications in Australia, Latin America, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Center-Right Political Party Youth Leaders Gather from across the Balkans to Form Political Network

fgalleto — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:24:50 +0000

As ethnic divisions ease in the Balkans, political parties across the spectrum are finding the need for new approaches that focus on thoughtful policy debate rather than personality and ethnicity. Young leaders in particular will play an important role in these changes.

In partnership with the VMRO-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE), NDI co-hosted a meeting Feb. 5-7 of 35 young leaders from center-right Balkan political parties. At the meeting in Skopje, Macedonia, participants focused on how to attract youth to conservative values in the 21st century as well as how to tackle a wide range of issues, including those not traditionally seen as conservative.

The young people displayed an enthusiasm to leave behind the Balkans' troubled past of ethnic divisions to "set an example of multi-cultural integration and cooperation," in the words of a declaration signed at the conclusion of the meeting by the young political leaders.

Perspective at the meeting was provided by speakers from conservative parties from elsewhere in Europe who had experience with these issues. For example, Rob Thomas, from the British Conservative International Office, described the conservative experience in the United Kingdom (UK) in the early 1990s trying to modernize the party, reformulate policy and integrate new public communications techniques.

UK conservatives, he noted, began to tackle issues that were not traditionally seen as conservative — such as the environment, health care and social justice — while adhering to European conservative beliefs in a strong government, individual and economic liberty, and thriving civil society. The discussion concluded that conservative ideas of liberty, opportunity and choice should be attractive to young people and need to be presented as dynamic and forward-looking, supporting change and reform.

NDI enlisted Lucinda Creighton, a conservative member of parliament in Ireland, who spoke about her experience as a youth leader in the Fine Gael party and activist in the Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP). A spokesman for the Junge Union of the German Christian Democrat Union (CDU) also presented.

At the end of the two-day meeting, the participants co-signed the declaration to establish a network of young, center-right political leaders in Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The international secretaries of the parties' youth wings will coordinate regular communications to promote youth engagement on policy development.

The development of such regional networks to share experience and best practices is part of NDI's regional initiative to support political parties in southeastern Europe. NDI assists parties in the development of policy platforms that are based on ideology and represent citizens' interests. NDI has worked with mainstream parties of the left, center and right in the Balkans for more than 15 years, helping them build organizations, bring new people into politics, contest elections responsibly and work in parliament on behalf of constituents.

These political parties are striving to provide leadership as their countries move toward membership in the European Union. They face the simultaneous challenge of articulating their political identity and applying it to policy and reform initiatives, while tackling persistent issues like corruption, the economy and unemployment.

NDI conducts its regional political party initiative with the goal of helping parties in the Balkans learn from each other and from sister parties around Europe on their roles in contemporary Europe. The initiative is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and has active support from a variety of European party foundations. The British Conservative International Office and the German Konrad Adenauer Stiftung joined NDI and VMRO as co-sponsors of the event.

Building on participant engagement on ideological discussion and the need for regional networking, NDI will support these center-right party youth organizations as they work toward common priorities and promote youth engagement on policy issues. The Institute will also use discussions at such gatherings to support center-right partners as they work to articulate ideology and pursue policy reforms.

Picture above: Gerti Bogdani (second from left) is the youngest member in the Albanian Parliament. He built popularity as a mayor of a sub-municipality in the capital of Tirana by addressing constituent needs. In Skopje, Bogdani discussed how his Democratic Party (DP) gathers youth supporters and their proposed education policy reforms in Albania. He sits next to fellow speaker Lucinda Creighton (far left) also the youngest Member of Parliament in Ireland.

Published March 11, 2010

Roma Making Political Strides in Bulgaria and Slovakia

fgalleto — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:17:48 +0000

The largest ethnic minority in Central and Eastern Europe, Roma continue to face discrimination and marginalization due to poverty, social ills and, in many cases, physical isolation. They are significantly underrepresented in mainstream political parties, hold few elected offices and have been unable to use political channels to solve many economic and social problems that affect their communities. NDI has been working with local candidates and political parties throughout the region in an effort to help Roma secure more equal political representation at all levels of government.

In Bulgaria, political parties are reaching out to the country's Roma communities with the help of the Open Society Institute, the Alumni Club of Romani Parliamentary Interns and NDI.

After a multi-party conference last summer helped raise awareness of Roma issues, about 15 Roma candidates were included on party lists during parliamentary elections in July. One of the candidates, Milena Hristova, a 29-year-old Roma politician from the Evroroma party, won a seat in parliament, becoming the first Roma woman MP in the region.

The conference also prompted some of the parties to sign agreements for cooperation: the incumbent Bulgarian Socialist Party with the ROMA and Evroroma parties and the Blue Coalition with the Shtit party. Citizens for European Bulgaria (GERB), which won the elections, signed a memorandum with 12 Roma NGOs and adopted their recommendations for a new strategy to tackle Roma problems in a holistic manner. Recognizing the complexity of the Roma's problems, the parties are taking steps to reach out to Romani activists and community leaders to find the most comprehensive solutions.

NDI continues to work with Roma activists, providing follow-up monitoring with the political parties and advocacy on Roma issues after the elections. The activists' involvement in two events this fall — the drafting of the new government's four-year program and the drafting of the state budget for 2010 — is particularly important. The promises GERB made on Roma issues during the campaign are not reflected in the four-year plan, so it will be essential to secure funding to ensure the Roma's proposed programs are actually implemented.

In Slovakia, Roma candidates from across the country came together in August to learn from each other and from former Roma candidates as they prepare to run in Nov. 14 regional parliamentary elections. As part of NDI's Roma Regional Initiative, NDI staff held regional election team trainings in August in the districts of Spisska Nova Ves, Poltar and Bardejov. The programs focused on how to build campaign teams on cooperation and communication among the Roma candidates.

Alumni of previous NDI training programs Peter Pollak and Stefan Sarkozy led the training sessions along with Tomas Hrustic, a staff member in NDI's Slovakia office. Pollak, a prominent Roma candidate from Spisska Nova Ves, inspired the other participants with stories from his 2005 campaign in which he fell short of winning a seat in parliament by less than 200 votes.

The trainings corresponded with the outbreak of anti-Roma protests in eastern Slovakia, which participants said made them particularly relevant. Program participants said they thought it was important to demonstrate how Roma candidates can unite in order to represent Roma on the local as well as regional level.

Building on the momentum of the August trainings, the four Slovak Roma candidates and their teams continue to participate in trainings led by NDI, with support from the Roma Public Policy Institute (RPPI). In September, NDI held a seminar for the candidates and select members of their teams on the use of media and graphic design as marketing tools for the campaign. In October, NDI program officers traveled to four districts to work with the candidates and their campaign teams on direct communication with the voters. With their new campaign skills and strategies, the Roma candidates are hoping to win seats in the coming November elections.

Read "Assessment of Barriers to Roma Political Participation in Romania," NDI's report on Roma political participation»

Related: Read NDI's assessment of barriers to Roma political participation in Romania»

Pictured above: Albin Cina talks to his campaign team members and local leaders in Snakov, Slovakia

Published November 2, 2009

Liberal Parties in the Balkans Plot a Shared Course Toward the Future

ggreene — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:50:04 +0000

With the Croatian People’s Party (HNS) serving as host, NDI brought some 25 representatives of Balkan Liberal political parties to the Croatian capital, Zagreb, for two days of discussion about advocacy of Liberal views on Balkans issues at the European level.

Highlighting the November seminar were policy workshops on ethics reform, gender equality, national security and economic opportunity. Participants also agreed to co-sign a letter calling for Europe-wide visa liberalization for citizens in the Balkans, in keeping with the Liberal emphasis on individual liberty. The seminar built on a new network of Liberal Parties in Southeastern Europe (Libseen). NDI and the HNS were joined by the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung and the Dutch People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) as event co-sponsors.

The seminar was part of an NDI initiative to help political parties in Balkan countries readying themselves for membership in the European Union (EU) and broader Euro-Atlantic networks. As they move slowly toward joining the EU as full-fledged democracies, these nations wrestle with the demons of past ethnic wars along with present-day challenges of corruption, unemployment and other ills. Among the many efforts dedicated to readying Balkan governments, civil society and the private sector for the rigors of EU membership and other Euro-Atlantic alliances, few have focused on democratic reforms needed to make the grade. And fewer still have addressed the role that political parties play in providing the vision, leadership and ideas that will deliver the region from its troubled past and move it on toward Europe.

NDI has worked with mainstream parties of the left, center and right in the Balkans for more than 15 years, helping them build their organizations, bring new people into politics, contest elections responsibly and work in parliament on behalf of constituents. This leaves little time to consider bigger questions of how parties espouse and articulate their political identity, devote energy to developing policies responsive to the public interest and provide anxious citizens with clear reform plans to see their countries through uneasy transitions.

That’s why NDI began the regional party initiative, with the goal of helping parties in the Balkans learn from each other and from sister parties around Europe on their roles in contemporary Europe. The Institute grouped its partners in Social Democratic, Liberal and Conservative groups, respectively. The initiative is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and has active support from a variety of European party foundations.

Liberal parties in the Balkans have an especially important role in championing individual freedoms in a region exiting home-grown communism. Liberal parties have served in government, particularly in such countries as Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania that have seen quicker European integration, more robust economic growth and faster development of a middle class as compared to their neighbors.

The parties gathered in Zagreb – from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia – were joined by counterparts from Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia and the United Kingdom, as well as Liberal International. LI Secretary General Emil Kirjas affirmed the importance of cooperation among Liberals in the region as well throughout Europe.

The vice president of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform (ELDR) party and LIBSEEN chair, Vesna Pusic, underscored this point in a keynote address. The ethnic wars of the 1990s that destroyed Yugoslavia were a betrayal of the values that its peoples share, she said, noting that peace and stability will ensue from functioning democratic institutions and civil society that span the sovereign borders that now mark the former Yugoslavia. Democracy cannot be imposed, she added, but rather will grow through the cultivation of home-grown political leaders with common understanding of shared values and issues. In this context Liberal ideas should be pursued throughout the region, she said.

Participants discussed how to form coalitions with parties to the left and right without sacrificing Liberal values, how to enhance national security without damaging individual rights, and whether gender quotas and other policies designed to promote those traditionally excluded from leadership detract from Liberal tenets on individual merit. There was also an interesting discourse on policy formation, led by Christian Moon, deputy head of U.K. LibDem policy and research center, in which he offered that party policies arising from consultation of rank and file often produce positions that don’t mesh with the inevitable compromises that occur within coalition governments seeking broad public support. What emerged through the discussions was a heightened recognition of challenges and opportunities among those who are charged with advocating Liberal ideas and values in the Balkans.

In the seminar’s wake, NDI country teams will put the discussions to good use in supporting the Institute’s Liberal partners in-country. With NDI support, HNS officials visited Kosovo in December to share their experiences in setting up party structures with New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), a new Liberal party. As well, Dutch VVD representatives were in Kosovo recently to assist the Autonomous Liberal Party (SLS), which represents Kosovar Serb communities.

Pictured above: Robert Benjamin (left), NDI director for Central and Eastern Europe, with Vesna Pusic (center), vice president of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party and chair of the Liberal Southeastern Network (LIBSEEN), and Boris Blazekovic, director of the Croatian People’s Party’s Political Academy, at a November conference in Zagreb, Croatia.

–

Published on Dec. 23, 2008

NDI Expert Explores “Semi-Presidentialism” in Central and Eastern Europe

ggreene — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:27:42 +0000

As co-editor of the recently published book Semi-Presidentialism in Central and Eastern Europe, Sophia Moestrup, NDI senior program manager for Central and West Africa, examines the effects of “semi-presidentialism,” on democratization in the region since 1990. “Semi-presidentialism” – a regime situation where there is a directly elected president as well as a prime minister responsible to the legislature – exists in more than half of all Central and Eastern European countries.

With a collection of essays on Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine, Moestrup and co-editor Robert Elgie of Dublin City University explore whether some forms of semi-presidentialism are more conducive to democratization than others. They conclude that this form of governance has not had a positive impact on democratization in Central and Eastern Europe, due largely to friction between presidents and prime ministers as well as the democratic requirements for European Union membership that dictate any and all democratic reforms in the region.

Learn more: Read about Semi-Presidentialism in Central and Eastern Europe at the publisher's web site| Visit site »

Europe's Roma Gaining Political Rights

ggreene — Wed, 28 May 2008 23:13:14 +0000

Spread across Central and Eastern Europe, Roma suffer disproportionately from human rights discrimination, social segregation and economic impoverishment.

Sixteen years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, most citizens in Central and Eastern Europe have seen steady political and economic gains. However, the Roma—among the region’s largest minority—remain politically marginalized.

While international efforts focus on improving Roma living conditions, the issue of political participation has not been adequately addressed. It is, after all, the sole means by which Roma themselves can address their long-term community needs in such critical areas as housing, education, employment and healthcare.

For the past two years, NDI has helped Roma to increase their political participation. In Bulgaria, Macedonia and Slovakia, NDI is training new Roma leaders on public opinion research, issue advocacy, incorporation into mainstream political parties and outreach to Roma communities.

In April 2006 NDI convened its second Roma Regional Leadership Academy in Bucharest, Romania. The academy brought together emerging Roma leaders from Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia. Academy participants reviewed how to developing strategic relationships with mainstream political parties; assess draft legislation with a view toward its impact on Roma communities; compare governmental National Action Plans for Roma throughout the region; and monitor the implementation of those plans.

Increasing political participation promises tangible benefits not just for Roma communities – who comprise nearly 10 percent of the population in some areas — but for the entire region. Continued political isolation of fast-growing Roma populations could threaten political stability in countries that are struggling to join the European Union. The full political enfranchisement of Roma — as voters, advocates, and elected officials — is vital to completing the region’s transition to democracy and ensuring political stability.

(Photo courtesy of the Milan Simecka Foundation)

–

Published on March 21, 2006

Bulgaria

mtaqi — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:21:19 +0000

NDI’s work in Bulgaria has focused on fair elections and informed voting, constituent outreach by members of parliament and, more recently, promoting the inclusion of women and Roma in the political process to orient policymaking around the needs of these two large constituencies.

Subscribe to updates about Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s accession to the European Union (EU) in 2007 validated the country’s impressive democratic advances in the 17 years since the fall of communism. Bulgaria has built a competitive multiparty system with an increasingly strong civil society, however, continued reform ensuring judicial independence and combating organized crime and its alleged infiltration of government is needed to consolidate the young democracy. The EU’s unprecedented sanction of Bulgaria underscores the gravity of these problems.

For their part, Bulgaria’s citizens are disillusioned, as measured by voter turnout rates and public confidence in governing bodies. It falls to the country’s political parties, particularly the governing Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), to lead reform efforts that build public confidence in governing institutions and the political process. Voters will have their say in the 2009 parliamentary elections, when the BSP faces a new center-right challenger, the Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria (GERB).

Women’s Political Participation

With NDI training, women members of parliament have crossed party lines and reached out to civic groups to champion legislation on labor safety, education, and pension reform. NDI also helped women members of parliament bolster female candidates in the 2007 local elections with direct training and an elections and governance manual, leading to an increase of women elected to municipal government.

Roma Political Participation

Since 2004, NDI has helped Roma in Bulgaria to become more active and effective in politics. NDI’s leadership training series equipped 75 Romani activists with the skills to run for office, advocate for their communities, govern effectively, and train other Roma. In partnership with parliament and the Open Society Foundation, NDI created a legislative internship program that has graduated 45 Roma. NDI has trained Romani candidates for the local elections, and a sizable number of them were elected, many from mainstream party lists. NDI’s civil society partners have successfully advocated for the inclusion of Roma in committees overseeing the distribution of EU funds.

Other Programs

Funded by the National Endowment for Democracy and the U.S. Agency for International Development, NDI has supported Bulgaria’s democratic transition by helping political parties to increase their public outreach, promoting the participation of women and minorities, developing MP’s constituency outreach skills, and supporting civic groups as they conduct advocacy initiatives and engage citizens through Get-Out-The-Vote campaigns.

Contact Information

For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:

Washington, D.C.
Nadia Mouzykina, Program Officer
(202) 728-5441

Subscribe to updates about Bulgaria

Pictured Above: Majda Potrata of Slovenia listens as Snezana Grozdilova of Bulgaria discusses antidiscrimination legislation at an NDI roundtable aside the World Conference of Women Parliamentarians in Sofia.

Sofia Academy Conference Report Center, December 2007

vrao — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/01/2007

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

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Bulgaria Post-Election Update, November 2007

vrao — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

11/19/2007

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

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NDI 2005 Annual Report

vrao — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/01/2005

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	6.23 MB

Roma Regional Governance Training in Senec, Slovakia

vrao — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:56:11 +0000

Since 2004, NDI has worked with Roma to help them build the skills necessary to successfully contest elections and wage effective advocacy campaigns. Yet Romani elected officials often face the challenge that typical good governance practices such as constituent outreach are insufficient in the face of the protracted problems prevalent in their communities such as high unemployment and economic underdevelopment.

Beginning in spring 2007, NDI focused its efforts in Bulgaria and Slovakia on working with locally elected Romani officials to aid them in fulfilling their mandate through good governance practices. In Slovakia, NDI and several of its program graduates have moved beyond typical governance training methods to develop the unique, issue-based tools necessary to aid Romani local councilors in effectively confronting these economic challenges and delivering tangible benefits to their constituents.

Drawing on experience from Romani economic initiatives in Slovakia, the Institute organized a regional governance workshop for Romani program participants from Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia. Because Romani elected officials often represent constituencies with high unemployment and poverty, this regional workshop focused on helping local councilors respond through innovative initiatives such as municipal social enterprises and public private partnerships.

In Slovakia, past program participants Peter Pollak and Roman Estocak have each fostered the development of such businesses, including a wood manufacturing enterprise and bio-herb farm, which offer a unique method of expanding a municipality’s budget while combating unemployment. With help from NDI graduates and representatives from US Steel, the Slovak-Japanese Commerce Department, and the United Nations Development Program, NDI provided workshop participants with the effective policy tools necessary to create a business plan, attract investment, negotiate private partnerships, manage a sustainable enterprise, and advocate for corporate responsibility to help benefit their communities.

NDI concluded the workshop by asking participants to synthesize this information by developing real business plans to implement in their home towns, allowing them to apply the lessons they learned toward tangibly improving the quality of life in their communities.

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Published on November 1, 2007

NDI - Bulgaria

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Tunisian Political Parties Learn from Transition Experiences of other Democracies

Denitsa Sacheva

Center-Right Political Party Youth Leaders Gather from across the Balkans to Form Political Network

Roma Making Political Strides in Bulgaria and Slovakia

Liberal Parties in the Balkans Plot a Shared Course Toward the Future

NDI Expert Explores “Semi-Presidentialism” in Central and Eastern Europe

Europe's Roma Gaining Political Rights

Bulgaria

Read More

Women’s Political Participation

Roma Political Participation

Other Programs

Contact Information

Sofia Academy Conference Report Center, December 2007

Bulgaria Post-Election Update, November 2007

NDI 2005 Annual Report

Roma Regional Governance Training in Senec, Slovakia