
What Does Putin’s War on Ukraine Mean for the Balk…
As the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Western Balkans Task Force prepares for the Southeastern Europe Democracy Summit (SEE|DEM) this spring,…
Since the collapse of communism in Europe in the 1990s, democracy has seen mixed results, at best, in Southeastern Europe. Democracies in the region are still confronted with many challenges, including a rapidly shifting array of political parties, worrying upticks in malign foreign influence, and rising levels of youth emigration.
In an IRI regional poll conducted in 2020, a majority of citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Serbia indicated that they believed that their country was either a “flawed democracy” or not one at all, underscoring the need for stronger democracy support.
IRI’s assistance comes in a variety of forms and plays a critical role throughout the region, with eight field offices providing support to political, governmental, and non-governmental actors as they respond to new challenges. Traditionally, in Europe, IRI has worked to strengthen political parties, with IRI experts helping party leaders and candidates run effective, citizen-responsive campaigns. Though this is still a cornerstone of programming in the region, IRI has expanded its work, building partnerships with trusted leaders in civil society, providing expert support to government agencies and civil servants to strengthen transparency and counter corruption, and increasing its investment in promising young leaders across the region.
Some examples of this new approach include IRI’s role in creating a documentary on interethnic reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, supporting the development of North Macedonia’s first ever Open Finance Portal, putting in place anti-corruption programs in Albania and Bulgaria, and establishing the region’s premier political leadership academy. As domestic and foreign actors challenge democracy in the region, IRI will continue its work building resilient democratic institutions capable of delivering meaningful change for the citizens of Southeastern Europe.
As the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Western Balkans Task Force prepares for the Southeastern Europe Democracy Summit (SEE|DEM) this spring,…
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Global · Bright Spots Of Democracy – European Democracy Youth Network
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IRI’s Western Balkans regional program focuses on countering malign foreign influence and extremism, including extreme ethnonationalism and the rise of…
IRI is working in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to promote a multi-party political system that is responsive to citizens’ needs…
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