Eminent Panel Cautions UN and International Partners Global Spread of Democracy at Risk and Calls for Improvement to Integrity of Elections

Mme Arbour noted: "The challenges in ensuring elections with integrity are not unique to emerging or transitioning democracies - even Western countries with a long history of democratic institutions can display serious shortcomings. As elections spread across the world we must do everything it takes to have real, meaningful elections - what we call elections with integrity."

NEW YORK, 26/09/2012 (informazione.news - comunicati stampa - varie)

Mme Arbour noted:        

The Hon Richard Marles MP, Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, who co-hosted the UNGA event, congratulated the Commission on its work and commended the report's findings.  He said: "     "

emphasises: elections conducted with integrity promote democratic values and human rights, improve governance, fight corruption, empower minority groups and deliver services to the poor.

If not conducted fairly, elections can undermine democracy, worsen divisions, trigger conflicts and fail to deliver improvements in the lives of people.

The Commission of former world leaders, Nobel Prize winners and leading academics cautions: "The rise of uncontrolled political finance threatens to hollow out democracy everywhere and rob democracy of its unique strengths."

Noting repeated failures within the international community to support elections with integrity, the report provides a comprehensive series of recommendations to strengthen electoral processes and norms.

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comments:    

Media contact: globalcommission@idea.int

 http://www.global-commission.org

A joint initiative of International IDEA and the Kofi Annan Foundation.