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Elections on Trial Project: Inaugural Meeting of the Europe and Eurasia Electoral Jurisprudence Working Group
IFES is working to establish peer networks in Europe and Eurasia and Africa, supported by the United States Agency for International Development. Regional knowledge exchange allows judges and election commissioners to discuss best practices and share comparative examples of how other countries deal with specific categories of complaints and disputes.
Election FAQ
Elections in the Russian Federation: 2018 Presidential Election
On March 18, Russian citizens went to the polls for presidential elections. Incumbent President Vladimir Putin contested the election as an independent, despite consistently representing the ruling United Russia party in previous elections. To help you understand this important electoral process, the IFES provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Elections in the Russian Federation: 2018 Presidential Election.
Election FAQ
Elections in the Russian Federation: 2016 Parliamentary Elections
On September 18, Russian voters will elect 450 Deputies to the Russian Federation State Duma (lower house of Parliament). These elections will be held under a new electoral system.
News & Updates
Press Release
IFES Statement on the departure of USAID from Russia
IFES is troubled by the imminent departure of USAID from Russia. The closing of USAID's office and its support will present additional challenges for Russian citizens and organizations in the pursuit of democratic development.
Election FAQ
Elections in Russia: The March 4 Presidential Election
Protests following the December 2011 State Duma elections revealed a change in the dynamic between the Russian population and the Kremlin, leaving many to wonder how this growing grassroots movement will impact the March 4 presidential election and its aftermath.
News & Updates
Feature
Russia's Democratic Awakening
Irina Zaslavskaya, a native of St. Petersburg who facilitated IFES’ first interaction with Russia’s election commission, talks to us about helping empower the first post-Soviet election management bodies and the yearning for dignity before one’s government.
News & Updates
Feature
Democracy in Russia: Inching Toward Progress?
On the 20th anniversary of the failed coup in Russia, Irina Zaslavskaya, Program Officer in IFES’s Europe and Asia division and a native of St. Petersburg, shares her thoughts with us.
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
Publication
Report/Paper
Final Report, Russia Project, April 15, 1998-June 30, 2001
This Final Project Report details the activities carried out in Russia from May 1998. The impacts of the project, as well as the "lessons learned" over the course of the project are discussed in the report. Specifically, the report covers three topics; elections systems development, elections technical assistance and the media and elections.
August 31, 2001