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

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.

With Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium; Dr. Adam Bodnar, Elected Senator of the Polish Senate; Erica Gerretsen, Director at the European Commission; H.E Anders H.

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. 

On 20 March 2026, Ukrainian lawmakers, electoral authorities, civil society representatives and international partners gathered in Kyiv to present the outcomes of the Working Group on the preparation of comprehensive legislative proposals on the specifics of the procedure for organizing and holding elections during a special period and/or post-war elections in Ukraine.

On 16 March 2026, Ukrainian policymakers, regulators, civil society representatives and international experts gathered in Kyiv to discuss the growing role of virtual assets in political financing and the risks they may pose for future elections.

With approximately 2.4 million eligible voters, Armenia is entering the lead-up to its 7 June 2026 parliamentary elections in an environment shaped by regional instability, peace negotiations with Azerbaijan and risks of information manipulation and other forms of hybrid interference.

As part of ongoing efforts to prepare for inclusive, secure and credible post-war elections, representatives of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CEC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA), together with Ukrainian embassies, conducted consultative visits to Austria and the Czech republic from 5 to 10 February 2026.

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.

As part of ongoing efforts to prepare for inclusive, secure and credible post-war elections, representatives of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CEC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (MFA), together with Ukrainian embassies, conducted consultative visits to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Ireland from 27 November to 2 December 2025.

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.

International IDEA convened more than 60 participants for an event in Brussels on 9 December to discuss the European Democracy Shield in greater practical detail.

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.

The prospect of EU membership continues to drive democratic reforms in Albania, Moldova, North Macedonia and Ukraine. This report—Part 2 of a broader analysis—focuses on electoral processes and the impact of digitalization in these four candidate countries. It assesses progress in aligning with the EU acquis, particularly in areas such as data protection, cybersecurity and digital governance, while identifying persistent gaps in oversight and institutional capacity.