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Election Day in Tbilisi, Georgia
Throughout the month of May, Georgia prepared for elections to choose representatives to local councils (sakrebulos) as well as the mayor of the capital city of Tbilisi. This represents the first time that voters would directly elect a mayor. IFES contributed to pre-election preparations through a number of initiatives, including sponsoring live television debates featuring the Tbilisi mayoral candidates; supporting local organizations to get out the vote, produce debates, and observe the election; facilitating a Memorandum of Understanding on the Abuse of Administrative Resources; producing voter education posters, leaflets, and T-shirts; and other activities. Election Day, May 30, 2010, was peaceful and orderly. The OSCE noted deficiencies in the electoral framework and the uneven playing field, but called these elections "evident progress" towards Georgia meeting its international commitments.
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Feature
Televised Candidate Debate in Tbilisi, Georgia
In anticipation of local elections at the end of the month, IFES organized and sponsored live, televised candidate debates for the post of mayor of Tbilisi, Georgia, together with Georgian Public Broadcasting. These debates represent a first in Georgian democracy – live debates featuring candidates running for office have never been produced before.
News & Updates
Press Release
IFES Launches Innovative Civic Education Program in the Democratic Republic of Congo
USAID recently awarded IFES a $5.2 million contract to conduct a 2‐year civic education program in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The program is designed to help fulfill the Congolese government’s commitment to a process of decentralization to reverse the country’s legacy of poor governance, corruption, and geographic inequality by bringing greater accountability and inclusion at the local level.
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Feature
Cells Obstructing City Center: Protest in Tiblisi Against Saakashvili
Ched Flego, IFES chief of party in Armenia and acting chief of party in Georgia, visits the site of the protests against Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. The protesters, who are demanding his resignation, have set camp in the center of Tiblisi.
News & Updates
Press Release
Nigerian Democracy Experts Advise on Campaign Finance Anti-Corruption Reform
Money is indispensable for political campaigns but unrestrained funds can result in corruption. As Nigeria works to strengthen its nascent democracy, Money and Politics in Nigeria, a collection of essays by democracy experts in Nigeria, gives Africa's most populous country advice on how to handle money and politics issues.
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Feature
Nigerian Local Elections
Police in a northern Nigerian state say at least six people are dead after youth from rival political parties clashed over local election results. IFES observed the November 17 elections in Kano, one of Nigeria's 36 states.
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Feature
Combating Corruption in Central Africa
IFES is working with civil society organizations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi on two new anti-corruption projects. The projects train civil society groups and government institutions to investigate corruption, and provide forums in which citizens and politicians discuss serious issues. The end goal is to improve transparency and expose public trust violations.
News & Updates
Press Release
Nigerian Conference to Consider Election Reforms
Abuja, Nigeria – August 20, 2007 – IFES will host a conference this week to give Nigerians a chance to reflect on the April elections and offer recommendations to improve the process in the future. The 2007 Elections and the Way Forward Conference will take place August 22-23 at the Abuja Sheraton Hotels and Towers.
News & Updates
Press Release
Nigerians Optimistic About Future, Despite Election Criticism
Washington, DC – August 15, 2007 – Nigerians are optimistic that their new leaders will make positive changes in their daily lives, even as they question the conduct of the April elections, according to a new report from IFES. At the same time, Nigerians remain committed to holding elections, with a majority saying that elections provide citizens with a rare opportunity to have a say in their government.
News & Updates
Press Release
Nigerians: Vote Buying a Common Occurrence
Washington, DC – APRIL 12, 2007 – A new survey from IFES indicates that more than seven out of ten Nigerians believe that vote buying happens either “all of the time” or “most of the time” in the country’s elections. At the same time, nearly four in ten respondents say they have a close friend or relative who was offered money or goods to vote for a particular candidate in the 2003 presidential elections.