Author:
Catherine Messina Paijic
Publisher:
Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament
Published Date:
05/09/2011
Resource Type:
Article
Language:
English
From the book Roma: A European Minority, the Challenge of Diversity, available for download at http://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu.
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Mandatory voting in Peru leads to high turnouts, but the numbers belie a disenchantment with political parties among the electorate, which often feels isolated from campaigns, particularly in rural areas.
Monitoring how governments work is an important citizen responsibility in democracies. Have elected officials fulfilled their campaign promises and are they worthy of being returned to office? Have there been abuses of power? Are taxpayer funds being spent in a responsible manner?
These are just some of the questions facing citizens as they scrutinize government performance, which can be a daunting task, particularly in new and emerging democracies where few citizens have the experience or tools to monitor effectively.
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A recent focus group study by NDI finds that in Burundi, a country historically fraught with ethnic conflict between Hutus and Tutsis, citizens today express little apprehension about current or future ethnic strife. Instead, it is regional, political, and economic differences that divide Burundians. And, despite politically-motivated violence and an opposition party boycott of 2010 elections, Burundians still embrace democracy and see elections as the best means for choosing their country’s leaders.
The self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old street vendor who had been beaten and humiliated by officials, galvanized tens of thousands of young Tunisians who took to the streets last December to protest the systemic denial of dignity epitomized by Bouazizi’s plight.
Author:
Nicholas Collins, National Democratic Institute
Publisher:
National Democratic Institute
Published Date:
04/20/2011
Resource Type:
Focus Group
Language:
English, Arabic, French
Media Type:
PDF
Source:
Huffington Post
Article Link:
Read More
Published Date:
04/08/2011
On International Day of the Roma, Catherine Messina Pajic, deputy director of Central and Eastern Europe programs, writes about the continuing discrimination and hardship Romani people face. In this piece in the Huffington Post, Pajic discusses ways that NDI helps the Roma take control of their own political futures.
Author:
National Democratic Institute
Publisher:
National Democratic Institute
Published Date:
04/08/2011
Resource Type:
Press Release
Language:
English
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