Former International IDEA Board of Advisers Vice-Chair, Bassma Kodmani, dies

It is with deep sorrow and heavy heart that we share the sad news of Dr Bassma Kodmani’s passing. A highly reputed political scientist and a professor of International Relations at Paris University, she was the founder and board member of the Arab Reform Initiative, which she had led as Executive Director. Her role was internationally recognized for spearheading insightful analysis of Arab political systems, thus contributing to the promotion of democracy in the context of the Arab Spring.
 
She had been for many years a member of the Board of Advisers of International IDEA and served as the Vice-Chair of the Board from 2015-2017. As a founding member of the Women Constitution-Makers’ Dialogue, she drew on her extensive expertise to emphasize the critical role of women's participation and representation in peacebuilding negotiations and constitution-making processes, providing invaluable guidance to other women in the field.

We shall always remember her invaluable contributions to the understanding of the complexities and intricacies of democratic transitions and backlashes in the region. We honor at this sad time her commitment to the cause of democracy in her own country, Syria, as member of the Syrian opposition, and negotiator at the Syria peace talks in Geneva.
 
Our deepest sympathy and thoughts go to Bassma’s family and her loved ones.