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News & Updates
Feature
President Bill Sweeney Reaffirms IFES’ Relationship with Egyptian Stakeholders
As Egypt prepares for parliamentary elections that will be held starting in March 2015, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) President and CEO Bill Sweeney traveled to Egypt to reaffirm IFES’ commitment to working with key Egyptian government stakeholders. At a reception held in Cairo on February 5, President Sweeney met with the spokesman of the High Elections Commission (HEC), Judge Omar Marwan, and Chairman of the State Information Service Ambassador Salah Abdel Sadek. They were joined by officials from the Ministry of Social Solidarity and Ministry of Transitional Justice; members of the diplomatic community, including representatives from the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Embassies of Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the European Union; and representatives from the United Nations Development Programme and the Arab League.
Publication
Brochure/Fact Sheet
Guinea: Support Political and Electoral Processes
Guinea held a legislative election on September 28, 2013, after six years of delays attributable to a variety of factors, including a military coup d’état. This election, despite being preceded by a series of violent demonstrations, was conducted peacefully, and was widely considered a positive step in Guinea’s democratic transition. Challenges persist, however, that must be addressed prior to the presidential election that is currently scheduled to take place in 2015. The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) continues to struggle to demonstrate the institutional and operational capacity necessary to administer elections in a credible and transparent manner and the promotion of electoral reform is further inhibited by a generally weak understanding among citizens of democratic principles, electoral processes, and decentralization.
January 28, 2015
News & Updates
Feature
An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of the Great Indian Election
On September 23, 2014, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) hosted a conversation between IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney and the former Chief Election Commissioner of the Election Commission of India (ECI), S.Y. Quraishi. Sweeney and Quraishi discussed Quraishi’s book An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of the Great Indian Election, a first-person account of the recent electoral history of India and a must-read for those interested in understanding how the world's largest democracy works. Quraishi was also presented with the IFES’ prestigious Hutar Award, which honors those who express a commitment to improving democratic practices.
News & Updates
Feature
An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of the Great Indian Election
On September 23, 2014, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) hosted a conversation between IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney and the former Chief Election Commissioner of the Election Commission of India (ECI), S.Y. Quraishi. Sweeney and Quraishi discussed Quraishi’s book An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of the Great Indian Election, a first-person account of the recent electoral history of India and a must-read for those interested in understanding how the world's largest democracy works. Quraishi was also presented with the IFES’ prestigious Hutar Award, which honors those who express a commitment to improving democratic practices.
During the event, Sweeney marveled at the immense technical undertaking of elections in India, noting that as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of India, Quraishi oversaw elections that involved over 11 million Indian government personnel. Indeed, elections in India generate both wonder and interest globally. Polls have been held at regular intervals in the country since independence, and on an unprecedented scale, surmounting the massive challenges posed by the geography of the land and the diversity of the Indian populace.
During the event, Sweeney marveled at the immense technical undertaking of elections in India, noting that as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of India, Quraishi oversaw elections that involved over 11 million Indian government personnel. Indeed, elections in India generate both wonder and interest globally. Polls have been held at regular intervals in the country since independence, and on an unprecedented scale, surmounting the massive challenges posed by the geography of the land and the diversity of the Indian populace.
News & Updates
Press Release
Health Crisis in West Africa Erodes Peace and Democratization Efforts
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) is deeply concerned about the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. This health crisis has resulted in more than 1,350 reported deaths so far in a region that has been moving steadily toward peace and democratization. This outbreak of the Ebola virus has already killed more people than any other Ebola epidemic in history.
News & Updates
Feature
Electoral System Changes in Egypt Spark Dialogue on Post-Revolution Future
On June 5, just a few days prior to the swearing in of the new President-elect, former interim President Adly Mansour ratified Egypt’s new parliamentary elections law, significantly altering the voting system established in 2011. In the former mixed system, two-thirds of representatives were elected through lists on the basis of proportional representation and one-third as individual candidates using the majoritarian system. The new law establishes what can be described as a dual-majoritarian system where 74 percent of representatives will be elected through the majoritarian system, 21 percent elected from closed, winner-take-all party lists, and 5 percent appointed by the president.
News & Updates
Feature
Roundtable held in Cairo on New Disability and Elections BRIDGE Module
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) organized a roundtable in Cairo, Egypt as part of the development of the Building Resources in Democracy, Governance, and Elections (BRIDGE) training program. The new disability rights module is being developed along with IFES teams in Haiti and Indonesia. The session focused on identifying key issues regarding inclusion of people with disabilities in the electoral process. Participants from various disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs) in Egypt discussed ideas with IFES staff and curriculum developers.
Election FAQ
Elections in Egypt: 2014 Presidential Election
Egyptian voters will elect a new President over two days — Monday, May 26 and Tuesday, May 27 — as announced by the Presidential Elections Commission (PEC) in March 2014.
News & Updates
Interview/Speech/Testimony
IFES Q&A with Former Chief Election Commissioner of India Dr. SY Quraishi
As a former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Dr. SY Quraishi has a deep understanding of the intricacies of how the world’s largest democracy works. He also has more than 35 years of experience in civil service. Dr. Quraishi is well known in India and abroad as a development thinker, for his inclusive style of leadership, and for bringing together wide varieties of groups and institutions to achieve the common objectives of development. In this Q&A, Dr. Quraishi discusses challenges the Election Commission of India (ECI) faces in preparing to conduct credible elections and shares lessons learned. India’s five-week general elections started on April 7.
Publication
Report/Paper
Egypt's 2014 Presidential Election Law
The International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) briefing paper Egypt’s 2014 Presidential Election Law provides expert insight into the legal framework that governs Egypt's upcoming presidential poll on May 26-27.
May 14, 2014