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News & Updates
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Kyrgyzstan Votes to Adopt a New Constitution
On Sunday, 27 June 2010 Kyrgyzstan held a referendum to consider adopting a new constitution. The referendum, administered by a new (interim) Central Election Commission (CEC), was held just 80 days after the violent overthrow of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and just weeks after a violent ethnic clash between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in the south of the country. With a near 70% turnout, voters overwhelmingly approved changes to the constitution affecting the electoral system, the separation of powers, the judicial system, human rights, and local self-government. With the changes Kyrgyzstan is set to become Central Asia’s first parliamentary republic, though the serious work of implementation lay ahead.
News & Updates
Feature
U.S. Ambassador for Women’s Issues Visits IFES’ Garima Project in India
On September 14, 2010, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne S. Verveer visited the Garima project in New Delhi, India. Verveer helped launch the Garima project in November 2009 and returned to observe its progress during a recent visit to India. Garima, which means “dignity” in Hindi, works to enhance women’s participation in political, economic and social processes, encourage political advocacy, and curb practices such as gender-based violence, female feticide and child marriage. The project is implemented by IFES and Counterpart International and collaborates with several nongovernmental organizations in India.
News & Updates
Feature
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.
Publication
Report/Paper
Understanding the Proposed Kyrgyz Parliament
On April 26, 2010, the Interim Government of Kyrgyzstan, which took control of the country following early April protests that drove former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev from office, unveiled a new draft constitution that will be finalized and officially presented on May 20. A referendum will take place in June 27 in which the population will be able to vote “yes” or “no” in favor of adopting this new charter.
May 15, 2010
Publication
Report/Paper
Use of Administrative Resources for Election Campaign in Georgia - 2nd Report
The second interim report on monitoring the use of administrative resources for election
campaign covers the period of time between 15 March and 5 May 2010 and focuses on the four
main types of administrative resources: coercive, financial, material‐technical and human. The
analysis shows that there have, so far, been fewer violations during the campaign for the 30
May local elections than was the case during the 2008 early presidential and parliamentary
ballots. However, the general picture is still far from positive.
May 11, 2010
News & Updates
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.
Publication
Report/Paper
Use of Administrative Resources for Election Campaign in Georgia - 1st Report
There has been an unprecedented increase in the funding allocated to local government entities in
Georgia’s state budget ahead of the 2010 local elections. The total transfers to local government bodies
in the state budget exceed the previous year’s figure by 34%. At the same time, there has been a
considerable increase in the number of employees in the Tbilisi Mayor’s Office and in the regional
administrative bodies. The resulting growth of salary funds is at odds with President Saakashvili’s
policy of reducing bureaucracy costs. Those who oppose this approach have suggested that state money
is being used to employ the people who are to participate in the ruling party’s election campaign.
March 29, 2010
News & Updates
Feature
Elections in Rajasthan, India
India, which proudly calls itself the world's largest democracy, goes to the polls in phases. On May 7, 2009, the 4th of 5 phases took place. This phase involved 95 million voters, 130,000 polling stations, 1315 candidates and 600,000 poll workers. Unlike some states which partake in multiple phases, all of Rajasthan voted during phase IV. Rajasthan is one of the two states in India where IFES supports Indian organizations in implementing programs on women's empowerment. These photos were taken by these partner organizations.
News & Updates
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.
Publication
Report/Paper
Islamic Movements and Democracy in Central Asia: Integration or Isolation?
This paper, presented at the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy’s 9th Annual Conference in Washington, DC, addresses the present state of Islamic political movements in the Central Asian states of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, with focus on state and non-state actors.
June 11, 2008