Institutions of Democracy- 1995- International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance
Born from the post–Cold War demand for a non-prescriptive, practitioner-oriented democracy assistance institution, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) has become a global leader and clearinghouse for knowledge, training, and advisory work on elections and democratization. In this recording, Massimo Tommasoli, former Director of Global Programmes and Permanent Observer to the United Nations at International IDEA, recounts the origins and vision behind the organization’s creation. Drawing on two decades at IDEA, he offers a rich institutional history rooted in the visionary work of Swedish diplomat and founding Secretary-General Bengt Säve-Söderbergh.
Massimo reflects on the foundational principles that shaped IDEA’s identity—pragmatic experience-sharing, global representation, and a universal yet flexible understanding of democracy that recognizes the importance of different national and regional context—and traces the evolution of its mandate, governance, and impact. He highlights Säve-Söderbergh’s enduring belief that democracy must be supported, not exported, and that democratic knowledge and experience should flow across regions and countries. Today, with 35 Member States—each committed to a broad, but binding definition of democracy—and programming across all continents, International IDEA remains -a testament to that founding vision.
Throughout the recording, Massimo referred to several speeches and key documents related to the founding of International IDEA and its founder, Bengt Säve-Söderbergh. These documents are listed below:
- “The Birth of an Idea” – Bengt Säve-Söderbergh – 2015: https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/The-birth-of-an-idea-PDF.pdf
- “Celebrating the Legacy of the Founding Secretary-General Bengt Säve-Söderbergh” – 2024: https://www.idea.int/news/celebrating-legacy-founding-secretary-general-bengt-save-soderbergh
- “The Founding Conference of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance: DECLARATION” – 1995” https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/media_resources/InternationalIDEA-Declaration-1995.pdf
Speech by Bengt Säve-Söderbergh on the 25th Anniversary of International IDEA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM--6PLYwYc
Massimo Tommasoli is a policy specialist and former Director of Global Programmes at International IDEA, with over three decades of experience in democracy building, governance, and development cooperation. He led global initiatives on electoral processes, constitutional design, political participation, democracy assessment, gender and inclusion, and emerging issues such as climate change and digitalization. As Permanent Observer to the UN (2007–2022), he spearheaded IDEA’s multilateral policy engagement. He previously held senior roles at the OECD, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNESCO, and the Istituto Italo-Africano. A distinguished scholar at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at CCNY, he has lectured widely across Europe and has field experience in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Russia. He is the author of seven books and numerous works on participatory development, aid evaluation, and democracy support.
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