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The Third Regional Dialogue on Access to Elections in Jakarta
In January 2015, the third Regional Dialogue on Access to Elections was successfully hosted by the General Election Commission of Indonesia (KPU), the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), and the General Election Network on Disability Access (AGENDA), a Southeast Asian coalition of disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs), election monitoring groups, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), that is supported by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). At the conference, more than 200 representatives from DPOs, election management bodies, governments, media, and international organizations attended from 28 countries across Southeast Asia and beyond, such as Egypt, Georgia, India, Libya, and the Republic of Korea. Discussions and panels addressed the emerging need to reach youth with disabilities, how to collaborate with media for greater representation in election coverage, and strategies for improved implementation of key international and regional policies, such as the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Incheon Strategy to “Make the Right Real.”
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
Feature
Indonesians Elect a new President
On July 22, 2014 at 9:10 p.m. the General Election Commission of Indonesia (Komisi Pemilihan Umum, KPU) declared Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla winners of the July 9, 2014 presidential election. Of the 135 million votes cast Jokowi received 71 million, taking 53.15% of the valid votes and winning by a 6.3% margin.
The photo gallery highlights some of the key events on that day. You can also view the images on our Flickr profile.
The photo gallery highlights some of the key events on that day. You can also view the images on our Flickr profile.
News & Updates
Feature
IFES President Visits Medan, Indonesia, to Support Women’s Leadership Program
Following Indonesia’s July 9 presidential election, IFES President and CEO Bill Sweeney travelled to Medan in North Sumatra to meet with some of the participants of IFES’ women’s leadership program. The program, implemented in partnership with the Center for Political Studies, Department of Political Science (Puskapol) at the University of Indonesia, aims to address the lack of representation in the field of electoral administration in Indonesia and prepare women to serve in different positions in electoral administration.
News & Updates
Feature
2014 Indonesia Presidential Election
Indonesia held one of the world’s largest single day elections on Wednesday, July 9, 2014 to determine its next president. More than 190 million registered voters were eligible to vote at 480 thousand polling stations across the country. Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country and third largest democracy. It is also the Southeast Asia region’s largest economy and home to the world’s largest Muslim population. Official results from the race are due to be released by Indonesia’s General Election Commission (KPU) on Tuesday, July 22, 2014.
News & Updates
Feature
Indonesia Presidential Election Visit Program
On July 9, 2014, as part of the IFES Indonesia Presidential Election Visit Program, IFES Indonesia Program Officer Marti Yusnida and I visited Rutan Pondok Women’s Prison in Jakarta with a group of female diplomats. In Indonesia, unlike many other countries, prisoners serving a custodial sentence have the right to vote.
News & Updates
Press Release
AGENDA – General Election Network for Disability Access Election Monitoring Mission for Presidential Election
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations General Election Network for Disability Access (AGENDA) conducted an election monitoring mission today for the presidential election in Indonesia. The election monitoring mission focused only on aspects of accessibility for persons with disabilities.
News & Updates
Feature
The 2014 Indonesian Presidential Election
On July 9, the 189 million Indonesians currently on the voter list are eligible to choose their next President. The frontrunner, according to polls, is Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, known popularly as Jokowi, who only entered politics in 2005 when he became the mayor of Surakarta in Central Java. Prior to that, he manufactured and sold furniture. The second contender is Prabowo Subianto, a former general whose last public post was in 1998 as the head of the Army Strategic Reserves Command. Following the turmoil that ended the three-decade-old Suharto regime and ushered the world’s fourth most populous country into democracy, Prabowo left the army and Indonesia. Both candidates’ running mates are veteran politicians. Jokowi, 52, selected 71-year old Jusuf Kalla, the country’s Vice President from 2004-2009. Prabowo selected Hatta Rajasa, the chief of the National Mandate Party (Partai Amanat Nasional, PAN).
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.