Votes of Confidence: Rethinking Elections as Critical Infrastructure for Democracy

On 13 February, International IDEA will host an official side event at the Munich Security Conference on the intersections between democracy and security, with a focus on elections. As democratic backsliding becomes a growing security concern globally, the event positions elections as a core element of democratic resilience. 

With democracies facing rising internal pressures and external authoritarian interference, the side event will explore how elections function as critical democratic infrastructure within a broader democracy-as-security framework. The discussion will examine not only how democratic institutions are being targeted by hybrid threats, but also how democratic governance shapes security outcomes. 

“Democratic institutions and processes, including elections, are increasingly becoming fields for contestation and conflict below the threshold of war,” said International IDEA Secretary-General, Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora. “Keeping our societies open and secure will require creative and collective action, to safeguard our democratic interests and uphold our democratic values.” 

Participants in the discussion will include Katarzyna Pisarska, Chair of the Warsaw Security Forum, and Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of International IDEA, alongside other security experts and senior officials. 

To follow the event online, use the hashtag #MSC2026.