Reforming political party legislation in Ukraine was the focus of an expert workshop in Kyiv on 6 and 7 July 2016, jointly organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), the Ukrainian civil society organizations Agency for Legislative Initiatives (ALI) and the Civil Network "OPORA". The event was hosted by the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.

More than 80 experts, including representatives of the Ukrainian parliament, government, academia and civil society organizations, discussed trends and challenges in political party regulation, highlighting good practices and lessons learned over the past two decades, and contextualizing the reforms and challenges of the Ukrainian legislative framework in broader regional and international experience.

"Political parties are facing significant challenges in their ability to represent citizens and promote political participation across OSCE participating States," said Marcin Walecki, Head of ODIHR Democratization Department. "Transparency in party procedures and financing sources, their level of inclusiveness towards under-represented groups, and their ability to use new media to promote communication and accountability are all indispensable elements to ensure political pluralism and a vigorous democracy."

Sergii Leshchenko, Member of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, said: "Political parties in Ukraine suffer from low levels of trust, affecting the legitimacy of the entire institutional framework. Following last year’s workshop, this meeting represents an opportunity to continue the discussion with international and local experts on the political party legislation implemented in Ukraine and opportunities for reform."

The Workshop also addressed the issue of inclusiveness in political parties, looking into the promotion of women and persons with disabilities in policies and party structures.

In a video message from Judith E. Heumann, Special Advisor for International Disability Rights in the United States’ State Department, said: "Participating States should support political participation of persons with disabilities in political parties across the OSCE region."

Following the workshop, 20 Ukrainian journalists, media and civil society representatives will participate in a one-day training event on Money in Politics, offering a general overview of the issue of political party and campaign financing, and focusing on the findings of the workshop and detailed aspects of the political party legislation adopted in Ukraine.

The workshop and the subsequent training workshop were organized within the framework of ODIHR’s project on "Strengthening dialogue among civil society and with key government stakeholders in Ukraine".

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Posts circulating on social media claim that politician and lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan has accused two senior Supreme Court judges, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Munib Akhtar, of facilitating a political party.

The claim is false.

On October 23, a user on X posted a...

WARSAW, 3 June 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), expressed concern today over yesterday’s sentencing by a court in Dushanbe of two leaders of the banned Islamic Renaissance Party (IRPT) to life imprisonment, and 11 other high-ranking party officials to jail terms ranging from two to 28 years.

“The harsh sentences handed down yesterday, following the earlier ban of the IRPT and the arrest and harassment of its members and their families and lawyers, raise concerns in relation to the commitments Tajikistan has made as an OSCE participating State to uphold key values of democracy, including political pluralism and political participation,” the ODIHR Director said. “ODIHR has raised this issue with the authorities in the past, and asked for more information on the rationale behind these actions.”

The IRPT party officials were convicted and sentenced by the court on charges that they had conspired in and taken part in the organization of an army coup in the country in September 2015. At that time, the Supreme Court banned the party as an “extremist and terrorist organization”.

The trials leading up to yesterday’s sentences were held behind closed doors, with the proceedings off-limits to the media as well.

“Fair-trial rights are a central element of the rule of law, and measures limiting public scrutiny of and access to criminal proceedings can only undermine confidence that these rights are being upheld,” Director Link said. “ODIHR continues to stand ready to support the Tajik authorities in fulfilling the country’s OSCE commitments in the areas of political pluralism and the rule of law.”

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The Delaware Department of Elections is informing voters that automatically registered voters may declare their party at the State Primary Election, September 10, 2024. Delaware is a Closed Primary State, meaning that only voters affiliated with the Democratic or Republican parties may vote in their party’s Primary Election. Eligible Voters must vote at their assigned Polling Place, and Polling Places are open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. on Primary Election Day.

Ian Blayney is a regional MP who decided to quit the WA Liberals and move to the Nationals. But everyone, especially his own former party leader, is being strangely nice about it, writes Jacob Kagi.

Berlin needs an independent candidate on its Town Council to counter and prevent the dominance of a major political party from unilaterally imposing its agenda and will on the citizens of Berlin. Our Town Council has been voting along strict party lines on key issues even though members pledged to reach across the aisle. It has dismissed or circumvented the results of referendums, reducing them to mere dog-and-pony shows. Berlin has more unaffiliated voters than those of the two major parties. Let's petition, nominate, and place on the ballot an independent candidate to represent these citizens and prevent the control of our Town by the dominant party on the Town Council. If interested, please contact us: berlinctpropertyownersassn@gmail.com. Continue reading →

Research Event

Event participants

Michael Gasiorek, Professor of Economics, University of Sussex; Director, Interanalysis; Fellow, UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex
Julia Magntorn Garrett, Research Officer, UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex
Prof Jim Rollo, Deputy Director, UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex; Associate Fellow, Global Economy and Finance Department, Chatham House
Nicolo Tamberi, Research Officer in the Economics of Brexit, University of Sussex
L. Alan Winters, Professor of Economics, Director, UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex

Research Event

Event participants

Michael Gasiorek, Professor of Economics, University of Sussex; Director, Interanalysis; Fellow, UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex
Julia Magntorn Garrett, Research Officer, UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex
Prof Jim Rollo, Deputy Director, UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex; Associate Fellow, Global Economy and Finance Department, Chatham House
Nicolo Tamberi, Research Officer in the Economics of Brexit, University of Sussex
L. Alan Winters, Professor of Economics, Director, UK Trade Policy Observatory, University of Sussex

Pietro Nivola examines lessons from the War of 1812 and applies them to the political polarization of today.

Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls meets Karsten, 55, from Bremen in tonight's Travels In Euroland on BBC2, to find out why the gay man voted for far right party, Alternative for Germany.

Between 1987 and 1991 she served as an MP with the Radical Party and made headline-grabbing policy pledges, such as offering to have sex with Saddam Hussein in return for peace in Iraq.