The resounding victories of pro-Europe reformers in Serbian presidential and parliamentary elections last year emphatically confirmed citizens’ desire to begin the process of accession to the European Union.  But passage of necessary legislation for EU membership has been obstructed by lingering anti-European factions within the Serbian parliament, and only nine of the 75 items of legislation necessary for accession have been passed.

Nicholas A. Rey, who fled Poland with his family as a child after the outbreak of World War II and returned as the United States ambassador during the Clinton administration, died on Jan. 14 in Washington, D.C. Rey was a member of the National Democratic Institute’s board of directors.

“Nick brought his considerable knowledge and experience to the Institute,” said NDI president Kenneth Wollack. “And we benefitted measurably from his commitment to the organization and its mission.”

Acclaimed author John Updike, noted for his novels and short stories, a prolific writer of essays, poetry and book reviews, and a keen observer of the American scene, died on Jan. 27 in Massachusetts. He was 76.

In a 2005 essay written and read for National Public Radio, Updike – a winner of Pulitzer Prizes and a National Book Award – spoke about the natural human tendency toward freedom and democratic government. As a tribute to Updike’s legacy, the Institute shares his words on democracy below.

The first national election observers to receive credentials from El Salvador’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) were deployed around the country for Jan. 18 municipal and legislative voting, which they concluded was conducted without significant systemic irregularities.

Linking women across continents, languages and faiths is part of the success story of iKNOW Politics – an online portal through which women in politics network and share information, knowledge and expertise. Launched by NDI in partnership with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the site is approaching its second anniversary.