The Congolese National Independent Election Commission (CENI) is reconvening its forum for dialogue with all major Congolese political parties, which had not met since July. The breakthrough came during a pre-election mission organized by NDI and led by former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson.

While Guatemala prepares for its Nov. 6 presidential run-off election, citizen groups are working to safeguard the credibility of the election process as they did in the first round of voting on Sept. 11. This election pits Otto Perez Molina of the Patriotic Party against Manuel Baldizón of the Renewed Democratic Freedom Party.

Honduras has taken important steps to restore its democracy since a coup d’état two years ago, but Hondurans remain polarized and frustrated with the quality of their political institutions.

A majority lacks confidence in all of the country’s institutions, from political parties and the courts to the army and the presidency, according to Democracy in Honduras: Political Values and Civic Engagement in 2011, a new NDI publication based on public opinion research conducted earlier this year.