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Democracy Updates
As ethnic divisions ease in the Balkans, political parties across the spectrum are finding the need for new approaches that focus on thoughtful policy debate rather than personality and ethnicity. Young leaders in particular will play an important role in these changes.
In partnership with the VMRO-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE), NDI co-hosted a meeting Feb. 5-7 of 35 young leaders from center-right Balkan political parties. At the meeting in Skopje, Macedonia, participants focused on how to attract youth to conservative values in the 21st century as well as how to tackle a wide range of issues, including those not traditionally seen as conservative.
Partner Spotlight
Strengthening the building blocks of democratic legislatures – transparency, accountability, oversight, responsiveness and effective legislation – is among the goals of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP). HDP currently has 14 partner countries on five continents. Members of Parliament and staff members from four of those countries were involved in two programs that NDI organized with HDP this fall.
In-Country Perspectives
With its eye on membership in the European Union, Macedonia held peaceful local and presidential elections this spring without the violence that marred previous polls. NDI's Chris Henshaw talks about the role of the Code of Conduct campaign in ensuring a peaceful and transparent election process.
Macedonia
Since adopting the 2001 Ohrid Framework Agreement that quelled ethnic tensions between Macedonian and Albanian communities, Macedonia has made considerable progress in reforming governing institutions and political practices along democratic lines, principally by enfranchising ethnic minorities. In recognition, Macedonia received official European Union candidate status in December 2005. However, further advancement has been delayed by problematic elections, government-opposition tensions in parliament that have delayed public sector reform, and Greek objections to Macedonia’s constitutional name. The latter issue has also precluded Macedonia’s invitation to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Parliamentary Strengthening
Women’s Political Participation
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