IFES and Kosovo’s Election Commission Extend Partnership to 2012

July 11, 2011

During the 20th annual ACEEEO conference in Budapest, Hungary, IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney and Valdete Daka, president of the Kosovo Central Election Commission (CEC), signed a Letter of Agreement which extends the partnership between IFES and the CEC of Kosovo through March 2012.

Civic Education, Election Management, Political Finance

Results from the 2011 Post-Election Survey in Kosovo

May 16, 2011

Post-Election Public Opinion in Kosovo 2011, IFES’ third post-election survey in the country since 2008, is now available. The poll captures the perspectives of Kosovo citizens on matters such as perceptions of democracy, opinions on the December 2010 elections, and assessments of the overall situation in the country.

Elections, Electoral Systems

Cappuccinos and Independence: Experiencing the Kosovar Spirit

January 26, 2011

Kosovo has been on the news for enough years that I thought I knew what I was in for: a cold, gray winter, with the only color provided by a people struggling with the cultural inheritance of the Cold War… poor infrastructure, smog from coal-fired electricity plants, NATO troops patrolling the streets, and high unemployment.  I wasn’t entirely wrong; in particular, the acrid smell of coal in the air brought me back to my years in Prague in the early 1990s, after the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Elections, Election Observation

IFES Assists Kosovo with First-Ever Parliamentary Elections Since Independence

December 20, 2010

In cooperation with the Central Election Commission of Kosovo, IFES administered 14 alternative polling stations during the parliamentary elections on December 12, 2010. The parliamentary elections were Kosovo’s first since declaring independence from Serbia in 2008. The alternative polling stations were positioned in northern Kosovo where the Election Commission experienced difficulty recruiting for and opening regular polling centers. IFES arranged international teams of poll workers to staff the stations and help ensure proper handling of election materials before the votes were counted.

Elections, Democracy Assistance

Commemorating International Day of Persons with Disabilities

December 03, 2010

December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities as established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981. The day is commemorated to promote a better understanding of the rights of persons with disabilities and the gains to be derived from the inclusion of this segment of the population in every aspect of our communities.

People with Disabilities, Civil Society

Electoral Assistance in Kosovo: IFES’ Sustainable Approach

September 27, 2010

Kosovo’s declared independence in 2008 has brought about significant changes to the country’s administration of elections, including the ability to conduct successful elections without foreign assistance.

Civil Society, Voter Registration, Democracy Assistance, Elections, Governance

Kosovo Motivational Cement Spot

February 18, 2010

The general theme of the campaign was where were you when the decision was made and showed how your life is impacted when you fail to participate in the process. Municipal elections also have a great deal to do with the provision of public services and the protection of property rights.

Elections, Youth and Elections, Voter Registration, Voter Turnout

Kosovo Motivational Diploma Spot

February 18, 2010

The general theme of the campaign was where were you when the decision was made and showed how your life is impacted when you fail to participate in the process. Since employment is considered a primary concern and corruption a major but lesser concern we designed a spot that used employment as its major theme and directed the piece towards a target audience of young male voters. The spot also showed how corruption influences your ability to find employment and undermines normal avenues of self improvement such as education.

Elections, Youth and Elections, Voter Registration, Voter Turnout

Kosovo Motivational Water Serbian Spot

February 18, 2010

The general theme of the campaign was where were you when the decision was made and showed how your life is impacted when you fail to participate in the process. Serbian voters expressed a great deal of concern about many areas but since this was a municipal election we chose to focus on the provision of utilities as a theme with a broad gender appeal.

Elections, Youth and Elections, Voter Registration, Voter Turnout

Post-Election Public Opinion in Kosovo 2010: Findings from an IFES January 2010 Survey

January 2010

The data collected after Kosovo’s first elections since declaring independence offer a unique snapshot of a young country optimistic, yet continuing to struggle with economic issues and divisions between ethnic groups. The 2009 municipal and mayoral elections were widely seen as well organized, free and fair, and voters report proper procedures taking place in polling stations. Still confidence in the power of the vote, while still fairly high, dropped between the 2007 and 2009 elections.

Public Opinion, Governance, Civil Society, Elections, Political Parties