Tools & Resources

IFES' Mali Electoral Integrity Assessment was conducted remotely by a six-member assessment team supported by two experts in Bamako to evaluate electoral vulnerabilities.

As part of its annual report, the Wilson Center Africa Program asked IFES Regional Director for Africa Rushdi Nackerdien to contribute an essay on recent African elections. His piece, “The Elections We Want,” covered 2017 elections in Angola, Rwanda, Liberia, Senegal, the Gambia, and Kenya, and their implications for election practitioners moving forward.

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.

This report on the 1997 presidential and legislative elections in Mali discusses the political climate surrounding the elections, the institutional election structure and provides recommendation for future elections in Mali (in French).

This report summarizes IFES findings from Mali during the country’s transition from dictatorship to democracy in 1991.  The report discusses the recommendations, political parties, financing and voting for the 1992 elections (in French).

This report summarizes Elections Canada’s findings from the National Conference that took place in Mali in 1991.  The transition period and conference are outlined in this report and a general assessment is offered in the conclusion.

Following a public revolt in Mali in 1991, IFES was contracted to conduct an in-depth analysis of the country’s progress in developing a new electoral system and drafting a new constitution, assess the interim government’s ability to administer free and fair elections and make recommendations for the elections.  This report summarizes the IFES team’s findings.