OSCE/ODIHR partners with pro-democracy bodies in release of proposed global agenda on improving democratic institutions

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) teamed up with other organizations working in the area of promoting democracy today in publishing an agenda to focus attention on the constructive and concrete steps that different actors can take to respond to populism by strengthening democracy.

Published in co-operation with International IDEA, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), the Netherlands Institute for Multi-party Democracy (NIMD) and the Research Centre for the Study of Parties and Democracy (REPRESENT), the proposals contained in Renewal of Representation – A Proposed Global Agenda were distilled from discussions among participants from politics, academia, civil society, business and international organizations from different regions at an event organized in Brussels in June.

“The quality of democracy worldwide depends on the five priority areas outlined in the agenda – equalizing political opportunity, defeating corruption, opening governments to citizen influence, building responsive governance and creating information responsibility,” said Marcin Walecki, Head of the Democratization department at OSCE/ODIHR. “This resource proposes ways forward to improve the quality, transparency and functioning of democratic institutions.”

“The agenda is extremely important today, ahead of tomorrow’s International Day of Democracy, particularly given that the theme this year is ‘democracy under strain’, said Tiina Kukkamaa-Bah, Chief of the Democratic Governance and Gender Unit at ODIHR. “It is also important more generally today, as representative democracy is increasingly under pressure."