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News & Updates
Feature
IFES co-hosts Symposium to Spread Electoral Awareness in Egypt
On September 26, 2010, IFES and the Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies (ACPSS) hosted an Electoral Symposium to spread electoral awareness before the upcoming People’s Assembly elections in November, 2010. The event featured distinguished speakers from political parties, government officials, members of civil society and election experts. Among them were IFES consultants Lisa Kammerud and Bashar Eldeek , Country Director Charles Lasham, People’s Assembly and Taggamu’ Party Member Mr. Mohamed Abdelaziz Shaaban, former Minister of Sport and Youth Dr. Abdelahad Gamaluddin, President of Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies (ACPSS) Dr. Gamal Sultan and famous Egyptian journalist Ameena Shafiq . The event took place in the Ibrahim Nafei Hall, named after the renowned Egyptian journalist, at the Ahram main building in Cairo Downtown area. This symposium is part of IFES programming to provide a platform for Egyptian citizens to dialogue about electoral issues in Egypt.
News & Updates
Feature
IFES Supports Civil Society Organizations in Advance of the 2010 People’s Assembly Elections in Egypt
IFES is supporting civil society organizations conducting voter education activities in advance of the 2010 People’s Assembly Elections in Egypt. During the month of August, IFES co-sponsored a workshop with the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies for civil society organizations to discuss women’s political participation. In the month of April, IFES hosted a conference in partnership with the Cairo University’s Faculty of Economics and Political Science and NAS, an NGO that supports persons with disabilities, on access to electoral processes for persons with disabilities. The conference emphasized the importance of political participation among all members of society. It was attended by more than 60 representatives of civil society organizations from across Egypt.
Publication
Book
Public Funding Solutions for Political Parties in Muslim-Majority Societies
An innovative, first-of-its-kind publication that explores the role of public funding in democracy development in Muslim-majority countries is being released today by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).
July 21, 2009
Publication
Report/Paper
Lithuania: Money and Politics Case Study
Lithuania has rapidly developed both politically and economically since emerging from the Soviet Union in 1991. While the country has built a functioning parliamentary system of government, has become a member of NATO, and is on the verge of joining the European Union, it still faces many problems associated with the many consolidating democracies around the world. As in all democracies, populations need to trust that those they elect will represent their interests. Problems such as corruption, weaknesses in laws concerning the political financing, and unaccounted for political income and expenditures threaten the credibility of the process and hinder the speed at which democracy is consolidated. Additionally, Lithuania lacks the high level of vibrant debate about the issue of political financing among scholars, journalists and civil society bodies required to promote meaningful reform. Recognizing this, Lithuania has developed an independent Central Electoral Committee (CEC) and adopted laws requiring detailed and public disclosure of political finance accounts. Prior to conducting Money and Politics programming in Lithuania, the CEC had made a demonstrable interest in making information public. While scanning summary report of accounts and placing them on the internet, the user could not search, not easily compare and analyze the information. Interested parties were required to make an appointment to view more detailed, paper-based information. Further, while the Tax Authorities are required to audit final political party reports, enforcement is widely considered to be weak. Few, if any, cases of political finance violations have been forwarded and investigated, not to mention prosecuted. By addressing the difficult issues surrounding political finance with the support of IFES in 2002 and 2003, Lithuania is emerging as a model for other consolidating democracy to follow. Significant areas remain to be addressed. While Lithuania has taken concrete steps to reform political finance legislation, open political finance information to public scrutiny and oversight, and encourage debate, further efforts are required to actively enforce laws and regulations and raise the level of debate among the various governmental, legislative, and civil society groups. By addressing these areas, Lithuania has the potential for being an example of best practices while making local expertise and resources to other countries undergoing similar reforms.
December 31, 2002
Election Material
Constitution
The 1980 Constitution of The Arab Republic of Egypt
Constitution of Egypt adopted by referendum in 1980.