Civic Assemblies as a form of public particiation in governance: An interview with Dr Sanskriti Menon

An interview with Luisa Neubauer, a German climate campaigner who is using both the courts and civic groups to push authorities to take climate policy more seriously.Access International IDEA's databases, reports and initiatives on Climate Change and Democracy: https://www.idea.int/theme/climate-change-and-democracy 

This is the second of a three-episode series featuring LEGITIMULT, its findings and tools for addressing and solving future crises. Drawing from the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic the LEGITIMULT (Legitimate Crisis Governance in Multilevel Systems) project  aims to identify a model of political legitimate crisis governance that takes into account the interplay between international, national, regional and local governments and institutions.Its guiding research question “Which conditions contribute to democratically legitimate crisis governance?” will allow governments and policy makers to better face the crises of the future. The aim is not only to have effective responses, but that these measures respect and guarantee basic human rights and freedoms.  LEGITIMULT is funded through Horizon Europe and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).Guests:Ida Karkiainen, Member of the Swedish Parliament, Chair of the Committee on the ConstitutionDr Andreas Kiefer, former Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (2010-2022)Co-hosted by:·       Gentiana Gola, Adviser for Europe at the Democracy Assessment team, International IDEA·       Dr Marcus Guderjan, Researcher at the Otto-Suhr-Institute of Political Science, Freie Universität Berlin.

On the sidelines of the launch of IDEA’s latest report on climate assemblies in the Global South, Billie Phillips spoke to Dr Sanskriti Menon about the power of citizen assemblies as a tool of public participation in governance  and her experience working with assemblies in both rural and urban communities in India. Guest: Dr Sanskriti MenonBackground Reading: “We need a new story of deliberative democracy” – IDEA launches new report on Climate AssembliesDeliberative Democracy and Climate Change: Exploring the Potential of Climate Assemblies in the Global South

In this episode, Yukihiko Hamada, Programme Manager for Money in Politics, is joined by Dr. Sam Power and Dr. Wouter Wolfs to discuss how political finance shapes the political and electoral landscape in the EU and the UK. In this in-depth conversation on the influence of money in democracy, they dive into the challenges of third-party spending, online campaign finance, and the role emerging technologies—like AI—can play in improving political finance oversight. Background Reading: https://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/political-finance-digital-age-case-study-european-union?lang=enhttps://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/digital-disclosure-political-finance-in-europe?lang=enhttps://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/regulating-business-election-campaigns?lang=enhttps://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/codes-conduct-rise-fair-and-ethical-political-campaigning-online?lang=enhttps://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/winning-elections-right-way-online-political-advertising-rules-europe-and?lang=en

In this episode of Peer-to-Peer, we speak with Alice Hill and Erik Asplund to explore how extreme weather, intensified by climate change, impacts elections and disenfranchises voters. Alice and Erik share their insights on the challenges disasters pose to voting, the role of climate change in increasing the frequency and/or intensity of extreme weather events, and how natural hazards are already affecting elections around the world. They also discuss the impact of hurricanes Helene and Milton on southeastern states ahead of the U.S. Presidential Election on November 5, 2024, and emphasize the need for reforms to safeguard elections from future emergencies and crises.Guests: Alice Hill works as the David M. Rubinstein senior fellow for energy and the environment at the Council on Foreign Relations. Her work focuses on the risks, consequences and responses associated with climate change. During the Obama administration, she was Special Assistant to the President of the United States and Senior Director for Resilience Policy at the National Security Council. She has co-authored the book Building a Resilient Tomorrow and the recent Climate Central report Disenfranchised by Climate Change. Erik Asplund is a Senior Programme Officer in the Electoral Processes Programme, International IDEA. His research covers elections during emergencies and crises, risk management in elections, and training and professional development in electoral administration. He is the project lead for the natural hazard and elections projects. Recent books include Elections during Emergencies and Crises: Lessons for Electoral Integrity from the Covid-19 Pandemic(International IDEA 2023)Host: Dr. Annika Silva-Leander is Head of North America at International IDEA where she oversees International IDEA’s outreach in the region, including relations with US government agencies, democracy assistance organizations and academic institutions, its engagement with the United Nations, and coordination of the Global Democracy Coalition. Annika is also International IDEA’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations, representing International IDEA at the UN General Assembly.  For more information about the episode or the work done by International IDEA on electoral processes, please contact us via [email protected]

The influence of money in Indian politics has long been a subject of debate, with concerns over its impact on democracy, governance, and the political landscape.In this episode, Khushbu Agrawal speaks to Milan Vaishnav, exploring this nexus in India, where money is the currency of power. From the soaring costs of elections to the criminalization of politics, this episode uncovers how financial power has the potential to shape policies, politicians, and political outcomes in the world’s largest democracy.Guest: Milan Vaishnav, Senior Fellow and the Director of South Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for Peace, Washington DCBackground Reading:https://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/political-finance-digital-age-case-indiahttps://milanvaishnav.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/costs-of-democracy-proofs-introduction.pdfhttps://milanvaishnav.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/costs-of-democracy-proofs-sridharan-chapter.pdfhttps://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2017/02/if-money-is-not-distributed-you-are-finished?lang=enhttps://carnegieendowment.org/posts/2019/01/political-finance-in-india-deja-vu-all-over-again?lang=en

The world-renowned elections expert, Professor Pippa Norris, talks to International IDEA's Head of Communications Alistair Scrutton, and to Dr Seema Shah, Head of International IDEA's Democracy Assessment Unit, about the importance of electoral integrity and public perceptions of the credibility of elections around the world. Read the #GlobalStateofDemocracy 2024 Report: https://www.idea.int/gsod/2024/

Democracy is on trial in the climate crisis. It is charged with having failed—and with continuing to fail—to prevent dangerous climate change. It is indicted on a fundamental breach of a key obligation of legitimate government—to ensure the safety and survival of the people to whom democracies owe their allegiance.”Based on the report Climate Change and Democracy Insights from Asia and the Pacific, International IDEA's Climate Change and Democracy Adviser, David Rosén, talks to Professor Joo-Cheong Tham, Melbourne Law School, about the climate crisis and how democracies in Asia and the Pacific are responding to it. Guest: Professor Joo-Cheong Tham, Melbourne Law School.Background Readings:https://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/climate-change-and-democracy-insights-asia-and-pacifichttps://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/imagining-democratic-futures-asia-and-pacific-foresight-report-2024https://www.idea.int/publications/catalogue/deliberative-democracy-and-climate-change-exploring-potential-climate

En esta conversación con Marcela Ríos Tobar, directora regional para América Latina de IDEA Internacional, se explican las polémicas elecciones presidenciales en Venezuela, desde las irregularidades en el proceso hasta la represión actual, así como alternativas para lograr resultados más democráticos.Invitada: Marcela Ríos Tobar, directora de IDEA Internacional para América Latina y el Caribe.Anfitriona: Yasnaya Guibert, oficial de comunicaciones de IDEA Internacional.Contenido relacionado: Evento: https://www.idea.int/es/events/venezuela-entre-las-amenazas-y-la-resiliencia-en-la-democraciaNoticia: https://www.idea.int/news/statement-elections-venezuela

International IDEA's Secretary-General, Kevin Casas-Zamora, discusses with Brian Winter,  editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly, a range of issues related to Latin American democracy, from what recent elections say about the region’s political health, to the potential impact of the US election and how governments should deal with insecurity and violence.