Tunisians remain committed to the democratic process but are becoming increasingly disappointed with their government’s perceived lack of accomplishments, according to the findings of a new round of NDI focus group research.

In some of Mexico’s states most affected by violence, voters are getting a rare chance to put questions about citizen security to candidates seeking their support in the country’s July 1 congressional elections.

In a country that has been plagued by organized crime and violence, safety issues continue to be a top priority for voters. A poll from September 2011 found that 55 percent of Mexicans want the government to put a high priority on strengthening public security.

When Liberians went to the polls to elect a president last fall, 1,801 citizen observers fanned out across the country to observe voting, counting, tallying and recording of results. They were part of the Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC), a coalition of more than 30 civil society organizations that observed all aspects of the election process, which it found to be “free, fair and transparent.”

Citizens living outside of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), get little attention from the country’s central government and have poor access to public services like health care, electricity and education. The federal government makes all decisions and there has been little progress in efforts to give local governments power over such services, a process known as decentralization. In addition, there have been no municipal elections in almost 20 years, so local officials are appointed by the central government.

As the political transition proceeds in Libya, leaders continue to struggle to meet public expectations on key issues such as security, political reform and standard of living, according to a new public opinion study by NDI.