In mid-March, Yemen began its National Dialogue, bringing together political and civil society leaders from diverse political backgrounds to discuss the direction the country will take. As the process gets underway, new public opinion research shows that most Yemenis believe the country is headed in the right direction, though a slim majority in the south disagrees. The conclusions are based on a poll, conducted Jan. 26-Feb. 6, that consisted of 1,486 face-to-face interviews throughout the country.

Chile’s 1988 plebiscite — in which citizens voted to end the dictatorial rule of General Augusto Pinochet — was a pivotal event in that nation’s history, as well as in the history of democracy around the world.

The victory of the anti-Pinochet “no” forces came against significant odds, which were discussed by key participants in the campaign at a March 26 panel preceding a showing of the Oscar-nominated film “NO” in Washington, DC, at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). The film, by Pablo Larrain, has drawn new attention to Chile’s return to democracy.

While Albania has significantly improved its electoral framework, the success of June’s parliamentary polls will depend on how well political polarization and manipulation of the process are held in check, according to the findings of a National Democratic Institute (NDI) pre-election assessment mission released in Tirana today.

A new course that aims to help individuals around the world build and improve democracy in their own countries will soon be available online. The free course will be taught by Larry Diamond, democracy scholar and director of the Center on Democracy, Development & the Rule of Law at Stanford University.