The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Members of the governing coalition in Tunisia discuss current political events. Photo by Nicholas Collins In the wake of last October’s constituent assembly elections in Tunisia, a number of political parties have come together in various combinations to form a governing coalition and a workable opposition. Such coalition-building is new to Tunisia, where, until the ouster last year of long-time President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, one-party rule was the norm.

Source:  Washington Post Article Link:  Read More Published Date:  07/09/2012 The editorial board of the Washington Post reflects on Libya’s parliamentary elections in which 65 percent of Libyans cast ballots for an interim National Assembly. The initial results of the election were encouraging.  Reports suggested that the centrist alliance led by former interim Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril won a plurality. While Jibril shies away from being labeled secularist or liberal, he appears committed to democratic principles and proposed to form a coalition in which his opponents are welcome.

Source:  The New York Times Article Link:  Read More Published Date:  07/10/2012 Highlighting the accomplishments of the Libyan people in the past year, this New York Times editorial also addresses ongoing issues Libyans continue to face.  Nearly 65 percent of registered Libyan voters cast ballots to elect a 200 seat interim National Assembly.  With more than 3,000 potential candidates, unofficial results suggest that a coalition led by Mahmoud Jibril, the former interim prime minister, had won.  These preliminary results promise great hope for the Libyan people because Jibril, who shies away from being labeled secular or liberal, has shown inten

Women wait to vote in Benghazi municipal elections. Photo by Megan Doherty. On Saturday, Libyans will vote in the first national election since the uprising that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, who ruled over the country for more than four decades. Citizens will elect 200 members to serve in a National Public Conference (NPC), which will oversee the drafting of a new constitution and design the institutions of Libya’s democracy. For the first time in the country’s history, political parties are organizing across the country to field candidates for public office.

Author:  National Democratic Institute Publisher:  National Democratic Institute Published Date:  07/02/2012 Resource Type:  Focus Group Report Language:  Arabic, English In the wake of the legislative elections held in November 2011, this focus group research looks at youth attitudes regarding elections, political parties and the new government. It follows on similar research with young people age 18 - 25 conducted by the Institute in July 2011 following the constitutional referendum.  

Author:  National Democratic Institute Publisher:  National Democratic Institute Published Date:  06/18/2012 Resource Type:  Report Language:  Arabic, English Following unprecedented popular protests earlier in the year, Morocco undertook a constitutional reform process that led to early legislative elections on November 25, 2011. The elections represented an early test of public attitudes about the reforms to date, and a potential opportunity for political leaders to channel new popular energy into electoral gains.

Magharebia | Link to story  » Morocco's brand-new "Parallel Youth Government" is bringing young people together to lead what they are calling the "battle for reform". The minister in charge of relations with Parliament and civil society, Lahbib Choubani, described the initiative from the Moroccan Youth Forum is a "unique" experiment in the Arab world.

Foreign Policy | Link to story  » In the 2010 parliamentary elections in Iraq, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his State of Law Coalition emerged as the head of government over rival Ayad Allawi and the Iraqiyya Party, which had won the election by a slim majority of two seats.

Associated Press | Link to story  » Egypt’s trial of employees of pro-democracy groups accused of illegally receiving foreign funds has been postponed to next month to hear government officials testify, and it will be closed to the media, one of the defendants said Tuesday.

NPR | Link to story  » On All Things Considered today, NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson will look ahead to Egypt's first free presidential election — voting begins Wednesday and is expected to lead to a mid-June runoff — and how some Egyptians who played roles in last year's revolution there are refusing to take part because they don't trust the military leaders who run the country.