Democracy must not become the silent victim of the Coronavirus pandemic

Democracy must not become the silent victim of the coronavirus pandemic" - That is the message of an exceptional Open Letter signed by NDI Board Chairman Madeleine Albright and NDI President Derek Mitchell along with numerous international leaders. Developed by the Kofi Annan Foundation's Electoral Integrity Initiative, (available in English, French and Spanish), the letter draws attention to the tremendous stresses that the pandemic is placing on elections and democratic systems. "While governments everywhere struggle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and do all they can to protect public health, democracy is at risk in many places around the world. Hardwon rights are being swept aside by emergency measures, elections postponed indefinitely, or held under problematic conditions, and essential freedoms eroded."

The letter advocates for seven principles in approaching emergency measures and electoral postponements taken to protect public health and democratic means, including firmly grounding them in law, basing them on best available technical information, developing them with broad public support, making them time-bound, restricting them proportionately to meeting the needs of the crisis, being mindful of the disproportionate effects they may have on certain population segments, and conducting clear and transparent communications with the public. Disregarding such principles opens the way for authoritarians to grab power under the pretext of pandemic response and creates risks of destabilization in fragile states. NDI is committed to efforts that call for building democratic resilience in and beyond the pandemic and is pleased to support the letter's message..