As authoritarianism solidifies, democracy is declining across the world, with political polarization as one of the most pressing challenges. Political parties are increasingly being targeted by illiberal actors with a common agenda to aggravate division between parties and to weaken functioning multi-party systems.

Making their way from southeastern Europe, 31 leaders of parties from across the political mainstream in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia traveled to Stockholm last October. 

Taiwan’s evolution over the past four decades to become one of the world’s foremost democratic success stories should be celebrated by all who cherish the preservation of human dignity and potential in Asia. Though elections were regularly held in Taiwan beginning in 1950, the 1948 “Temporary Provisions” to the constitution and the institution of martial law suppressed basic liberties, including the formation of opposition political parties to contest in elections, until martial law was lifted in 1987. 

While the unrest in the country has rightfully drawn the world’s attention, it is only one of a series of challenges facing the political system in Peru. The country’s political reality is one of deep political and cultural divisions and political parties that lack resilient and effective structures, such as an absence of strong internal policies designed to increase diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in political parties and processes, which is an issue in a country as diverse and polarized as Peru.

In December 1991, 92% of Ukrainians voted for independence from the former Soviet Union, with a voter turnout of 84%. While Moscow saw Ukraine and other former Soviet States as remaining under its sphere of influence, from the outset Ukraine’s people embraced democracy and its government generally oriented itself toward the West rather than Moscow.

On December 15, 2022, 11 youth political party members across four African countries came together in Nairobi, Kenya for a final regional dialogue to present their personal projects accomplished through NDI’s Political Party Leadership Institute (PPLI) program. The regional symposium marked the completion of the 2021 cohort and their transition into the program’s  Alumni Network.