Statement from the Secretary-General: Attacks in Beirut and Paris 

Our heartfelt condolences go to the families who lost their loved ones in the terrorist attacks in Beirut on 12 November and in Paris on 13 November. We are together with them in their mourning.

International IDEA joins the international community in condemning these shameful acts of terrorism. We stand together with Lebanon and France and their citizens in meeting the aftermath of these attacks.

Terrorism seeks to destroy and disrupt our way of life. In particular, it attacks the values of democracy that International IDEA stands for, i.e. liberty, equality and fraternity.

Violent actions by an inhumane group of persons cannot be allowed to shake and weaken what has taken centuries to build and what citizens have died for to achieve and to protect. Democracies need to stand united. Democracy is the only way to address the root causes of these kinds of horrific and intolerable expressions of discontent with and within societies.