Democracies across the world – from established to emerging – are facing a new challenge in the rise of online campaigning, and the way in which political actors increasingly spend money in this space. Online campaigning often operates in a space where rules are unclear, malign actors thrive, and regulators struggle to keep up with the rapidly changing digital landscape.
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The 'Digital Campaigning and Political Finance in the Asia and the Pacific Region report' authored by Professor Joo-Cheong Tham (Director, Electoral Regulation Research Network), Professor Andrea Carson (Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University), Amy Chinnappa (Lawyer and Policy Consultant), and Adhy Aman (Senior Programme Manager, International IDEA) will be launched on Tuesday 25 October at Melbourn
The first “BRIDGE Train the Facilitator (TtF) Workshop” is taking place in Albania during 4-15 July, under the facilitation of Doina Bordeianu, Zage Filiposki and Corneliu Pasat.
This 9-day training targets 18 staff of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) of Albania, as well as trainers with expertise in civic education.
This Report delves into the financial aspect of online campaigning, depicting a landscape characterized by lax regulation, the proliferation of malicious actors, and limited oversight capabilities to keep pace with rapid changes. In this sense, the challenges facing Albania are no different from those being tackled across much of the democratic world.
This Discussion Paper reviews the performance of 16 lobbying registers according to 3 interlinked dimensions: (a) transparency; (b) regulatory capacity; and (c) interoperability. Under ‘transparency’, the paper examines the scope of lobbying information collected by the register in question, as well as how that information is administered and subsequently disclosed.
La constitución de Tailandia fue redactada en 2017 por el gobierno de la junta militar. Aunque fue aprobada mediante referéndum, la Constitución de 2017 sigue siendo muy impopular debido a su origen. La reforma constitucional fue un tema central durante las reñidas elecciones de 2023, en las que una participación electoral sin precedentes demostró un fuerte apoyo a los partidos democráticos y progresistas.
Thailand’s constitution was made in 2017 by the military junta government. Although it was approved by referendum, the 2017 Constitution remains highly unpopular due to its origin. Constitutional reform was a central issue during the tightly contested 2023 elections, in which an unprecedented voter turnout demonstrated strong support for democratic and progressive parties. The same demand, of amending the 2017 Constitution, was repeated throughout the 2020-2021 mass protest movement.
As new political developments come to light in Thailand, the spotlight is again on the intricate relationship between money and politics in the country. The 2023 General Elections were watched closely not only for their outcomes but also for the way campaigns were funded and conducted.
On 4-5 July, 2023, in Tirana, Albania, International IDEA in cooperation with Rule of Law Centre of Finland and Center Election Commission of Albania hosted the regional roundtable on "Interinstitutional Cooperation on Digitalization of Electoral Processes and Cybersecurity in the Western Balkans".
Thailand has made several efforts to reform key aspects of its political finance system, including regulations relating to funding for political parties and election campaigns. Yet, several challenges remain that merit constant improvements and innovation to regulate political finance and put appropriate systems and processes in place to ensure enforcement.
Victoria held state elections on Saturday 26 November 2022. Six weeks previously, the state had suffered serious floods.
Democracy is on trial in the climate crisis. It is charged with having failed to prevent dangerous climate change. To its critics, the very same features of democracy praised as its defining virtues—popular sovereignty, the accountability and responsiveness of elected officials, public debate and deliberation—are handicaps that impede effective climate action. However, this trial is not over and it would not be safe to deliver a verdict at this stage.
La Oficina Electoral de Fiji (OFE) y el Instituto Internacional para la Democracia y Asistencia Electoral (IDEA Internacional) firmaron conjuntamente un Memorando de Entendimiento (MoU) en Canberra, Australia y Suva, Fiji, el jueves 25 de mayo de 2023 que restablece los lazos entre las organizaciones.
Calls to enfranchise people as young as sixteen are growing around the world, with some countries already adjusting the vote to align with the national age of employment, taxation, and military service.
In Australia, common consensus is lagging but some experts believe it is only a matter of time. From the sidelines of the Australian National University’s APSA conference, Billie Phillips spoke to Professor Lisa Hill about the growing movement.
In a bid to deepen relationships across the Asia-Pacific region, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance’s (International IDEA) Secretary-General Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora met with multiple political, electoral and stakeholder groups in Australia and India during his October 2022 mission to the regional headquarters in Canberra.
Transparency in politics—in particular with regard to political finance—lies at the core of every democracy. The availability of accessible, detailed information about the funding of political parties and candidates enables scrutiny by civil society organizations and the wider public, and ensures that all political actors can be held accountable.
At home in the Asia-Pacific region, Australia lives alongside some of the world's most populous and diverse democracies. As we all emerge from two years of acute COVID-19 restrictions, some things look a little different in our neighbourhood.