International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)
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India's Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar will assume the chairship of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) on December 3, 2025, during a council meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, presiding over meetings throughout 2026.
About International IDEA
- International IDEA, founded in 1995 via a conference on February 27–28 in Stockholm, Sweden, is an intergovernmental organization supporting sustainable democracy worldwide.
- Headquartered in Stockholm with nearly 300 staff across regional offices in Europe, Latin America/Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, Africa, West Asia, and North America.
- Current Secretary-General: Kevin Casas-Zamora (since 2019); holds UN General Assembly observer status.
- 35 Member States as of 2024, including founding members like India, Australia, Sweden, South Africa; recent additions: France (35th).
- Mission: Advances democracy through policy knowledge, capacity development, advocacy, and dialogues, emphasizing human rights and sustainable development.
- Key workstreams: Electoral Processes, Constitution-Building, Democracy Assessment (e.g., Global State of Democracy reports), Political Participation/Representation, Climate Change/Democracy, Digitalization/Democracy.
- Tools/resources: Voter Turnout Database, Electoral Risk Management, Political Finance Database, GSoD Indices.
The leadership transition highlights India's role in global election management, with collaborations planned via the Election Commission of India's IIIDEM institute, which has trained officials from 142 countries.
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