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The event will be held in a hybrid format, offering both in-person and online participation options. 

In the current geopolitical climate, democracies in Eastern Europe face increasing threats to democratic institutions through opaque political financing, third-party influence, and hybrid interference strategies.

Money is an essential resource for politics and voter outreach. However, if not effectively regulated, it can compromise the integrity of political processes and democracies. Effective state regulation of funding of political parties and election campaigns (commonly known as political finance) and their implementation are vital for promoting the integrity, transparency, and accountability of democratic systems of government.

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and the Rule of Law Centre of Finland (RoL Centre), in partnership with the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, will host the regional conference “Which Role for Artificial Intelligence in Electoral Processes?”, taking place in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 16 April 2024.  

On the 22nd and 23rd of November 2023, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in partnership with members of the Network for the Promotion of Constitutionalism in Eastern Europe is organizing a roundtable discussion 'Democratic Resilience: Does Institutional Design Matter?' in Yerevan, Armenia.

As Armenia prepares for its June 2026 parliamentary elections, electoral institutions are operating in an increasingly complex environment shaped by political polarisation, information manipulation, operational pressures, and rising public expectations around transparency and accountability. Strengthening institutional capacity to anticipate, assess, and respond to such risks is therefore central to safeguarding electoral integrity and public trust in the democratic process.

On 29 January 2026, International IDEA supported the Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CEC) in conducting the second session of the learning series “Getting to Know ChatGPT: What You Need to Know to Use It Effectively”, bringing together approximately 130 participants. The session focused on strengthening institutional understanding of artificial intelligence tools and their responsible use in public sector work.

International IDEA, in strategic partnership with the Ukrainian Parliamentary Institute (UPI), is proud to announce the launch of "GROW-EU: Governance and Regional Opportunities for a Way into the EU." This new initiative is made possible through funding from the Swedish Institute (SI) Ukraine Cooperation Programme.

This case study analyses how Ukraine maintained electoral continuity and integrity between 2014 and 2020 while facing unprecedented challenges caused by Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and the armed conflict in Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukraine developed a series of adaptive mechanisms to protect election administration, ensure voter participation where possible and preserve the credibility of democratic processes despite crisis conditions.

On 15 December 2025, an expert dialogue titled “On the Path to the EU: Overview of OSCE/ODIHR Recommendations on Elections in Ukraine” was held in Kyiv, bringing together over 160 representatives of Ukrainian state institutions, politicians, parliament, civil society, and international partners to discuss priorities for electoral reform.

As foreign information manipulation grows faster, cheaper, and more sophisticated, Moldova finds itself on the front line of a new kind of democratic battlefield—one where algorithms shape opinions, hidden money fuels narratives, and influence operations move seamlessly across borders and platforms.

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen democratic resilience and institutional preparedness for Ukraine’s post-war elections, representatives of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CEC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), together with Ukrainian embassies, conducted consultative visits to France and Belgium from 9 to 14 October 2025.

On 23 October 2025, electoral authorities, oversight bodies, civil society representatives, and digital democracy experts from the European Union and Eastern Europe gathered in Chisinau, Moldova. The regional conference, “Overseeing Digitalization in Electoral Processes: Towards Convergence Between the EU and Eastern Europe,” was hosted by International IDEA in partnership with the Central Electoral Commission of Moldova, and supported by Stiftung Mercator and the French MFA . 

On 17 October, representatives from EU Member States and Western Balkans electoral authorities, independent institutions, civil society, and media experts gathered in Tirana for the regional conference “Overseeing Digitalization in Electoral Processes: Towards Closer Convergence Between the EU and the Western Balkans.” 

Digitalization is transforming electoral processes across the European Union and its aspiring members. While it strengthens democratic participation, it also introduces risks, from opaque political financing and disinformation to foreign interference and cybersecurity threats. These challenges demand strong digital governance to keep elections free, fair and transparent within and beyond EU borders. 

As Ukraine prepares for post-war elections, the Central Election Commission (CEC) is assessing how artificial intelligence (AI) could strengthen electoral administration.