International Republican Institute

2024 has been an historic year of elections, with a total of 99 countries scheduled to hold elections globally. IRI’s Technology and Democracy Practice has spent the past year analyzing how artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative AI (GenAI), has been used by political actors to both benefit and undermine democratic processes. Our team found that India stood out in showcasing how GenAI could be used in both positive and negative ways – from personalizing voter outreach to amplifying viral falsehoods – and holds significant lessons for future elections around the world. Read our latest blog to learn more: https://lnkd.in/er3Bfy2R

On October 26, Georgia will hold its 10th parliamentary elections since its independence from the Soviet Union. After a tumultuous, years-long effort to reform the electoral system, the rules have again changed. For the first time in the country’s history, all 150 seats of the nation’s unicameral legislature will be elected under a fully proportional system. This means all seats will be awarded based on the total percentage of votes a party receives in a single, nation-wide election. It remains to be seen whether smaller opposition parties will meaningfully increase their representation in Parliament or if the institution will remain controlled by the current ruling party, Georgian Dream (GD).  To support a free and fair electoral process, the International Republican Institute (IRI) has launched a long-term election observation mission for the upcoming elections. An international team of 20 observers and a mission director deployed across ten regions of Georgia to assess the pre-electoral environment, meet with electoral stakeholders, political parties and civil society organizations, and analyze the effects of the new electoral system. A short-term observation team will oversee the election-day proceedings to support and report on its credibility, legitimacy, and transparency. Read more about the upcoming election and our mission here: https://lnkd.in/e-2zzc-z

IRI’s Technology and Democracy Practice joined the Artificial Intelligence: Technological Challenges to Development summit organized by APEC and the U.S. Embassy in Peru lats week. Held at Universidad San Martin de Porres in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, the summit convened journalists, civil society, government officials and staff, and INGOs for high-level discussions on the opportunities and risks AI presents to development and democracy. During the conference, IRI presented its findings from its white paper on generative AI - titled Democracy In the Age of Generative AI: Navigating Risks and harnessing Opportunities – followed by an IRI-organized panel discussion with leading LAC-based thinkers on this topic. The white paper and its findings are the product of discussions and analysis from IRI’s Generative AI and Democracy Working Group, where 30+ experts from around the globe discussed risks, opportunities and recommendations for democracy actors to safely navigate and understand GenAI’s impacts on democracy. Following IRI’s presentation of key white paper findings, a panel discussion focused on actionable steps to leverage genAI for good, featuring a representative from the Congress in Uruguay, Congressman Rodrigo Goni, and two leading Peruvian thinkers, Elaine Ford from Democracia Digital and Rommel Infante from Empatia Lab. If you missed the presentation, take a look at the recording: https://lnkd.in/euEyenVj IRI will fully launch the white paper in September – stay tuned for more information!

If you are nostalgic for the old days of empire, call it the Spanish Sahara. But if ambitious development plans – likened by one locally elected official to a North African version of Dubai – are to factor in the needs and aspirations of the former Spanish territory’s population, then it is time for the ambiguity to end. The 40-year-long international stalemate over whether the Spanish Sahara (aka Western Sahara) is an autonomous region of Morocco or the future independent home of the Sahrawi people not only perpetuates regional instability but also undermines the benefits of current development plans accruing to the local population. The uncertainty has already led to thousands of casualties on all sides and families divided from each other and their ancestral homes. It is about time for all parties to look to the future so all former inhabitants and their descendants of Spanish Sahara can reap the rewards of the region’s promising future. Read Owen Kirby’s new piece in Modern Diplomacy on the future of Western Sahara here: https://lnkd.in/eu7dsZKT

While many people have studied and written about the PRC’s actions, there is relatively little work designed to guide civil society, journalists, academia, and concerned officials on the best ways to respond. This guide seeks to fill that gap, providing tools and strategies to bolster democratic resilience to authoritarian influence. It builds upon years of efforts by IRI to study and counter the many ways the People’s Republic of China (PRC)-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) party-state influences and corrodes democratic institutions around the world. This guide offers the best responses to PRC influence as identified by IRI and our worldwide network of partners. However, this work is constantly evolving; we have learned that the best solutions come from deep local understanding of the problem, of potential windows for change, and of which narratives best resonate. Rather than being the final word, we hope this guide can be a start for readers who want to develop their own unique approaches to PRC influence together with a global community of like-minded journalists, activists, scholars, and politicians. Read the guide here: https://lnkd.in/eYgcDKs8

What if a country’s government joins forces with a foreign authoritarian regime to spy on the country’s own people? Can this be stopped? Civil society organizations believe the answer can be yes. Civil society is finding itself called on to face down PRC challenges to democratic values and practices. Even governments that are not working with Beijing often respond feebly to PRC ambitions, held back by economic or geopolitical caution. Civic groups and activists — so often the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) targets — lack such inhibitions and may prove hardier foes. When allowed to flourish and shielded from the pressure of governments (whether domestic or foreign), civil society can serve as a potent, genuine, and resilient force for democracy. Read this new article by IRI’s own Caitlin Dearing Scott and NED’s Kevin Sheives to learn more about China’s growing influence on civil society across the globe and how civil society itself can fight back: https://lnkd.in/eZ3YKHua

Extending a belated Thank You! to the Atlanta University Center Consortium, Inc. Center for Excellence Scholars for visiting the International Republican Institute and asking thoughtful and inspiring questions. We look forward to seeing how you influence the world as you continue on your academic and professional paths and hope they cross with IRI in the future. Anika A. E. Rachel Chute Imane Guissé Bryant Martin Fiesta Patrick McDermott, MBA

Institutional barriers to female political participation have fallen worldwide in recent decades, resulting in a dramatic increase in the number of women elected to public office. Despite these gains, women continue to face deep-seated challenges when attempting to seek, win, hold, and succeed in public office. This has significant implications for democracy, human rights, and governance (DRG) interventions that aim to promote substantive female political participation. This brief, developed by the International Republican Institute (IRI) as part of its 2021 Learning Agenda and alongside academic partners at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), offers an overview of the institutional, economic, and cultural hurdles women commonly face throughout the electoral process. The brief concludes with recommendations and good practices for DRG efforts designed to promote women’s political empowerment at three levels of intervention: institutional, candidate, and community. Read the full brief here: https://lnkd.in/ePJxEUwM

A new nationwide poll by the International Republican Institute’s Center for Insights in Survey Research (CISR) shows that strong majorities believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, disapprove of the 2021 coup, and support a return to democratic governance. “Many Myanmar citizens are upset with the direction of the country because people’s rights have been stripped and economic hardships have compounded in recent years,” said Rhonda Mays, Regional Director for Southeast Asia at IRI. “There is a belief that the economic and political situation will not improve under the military dictatorship.” Read the full poll report here: https://lnkd.in/eBkmhakd

IRI's Center for Insights in Survey Research Division is #hiring a Senior Research Associate! The Senior Research Associate is an advanced entry-level position at IRI’s Center for Insights in Survey Research (CISR) and provides research support for current and developing public opinion research studies across all of IRI’s regions. IRI will consider candidates with a range of experience levels for this role, and the final job description and job title will correspond with the selected candidate’s qualifications (i.e., Senior Research Associate or Research Associate). Please note that the Senior Research Associate role and Research Associate role are both hybrid and based in Washington, DC. ➡ To view the full job description and to apply, please visit: https://bit.ly/4bTMPZo 📲 To learn more about IRI's Center for Insights in Survey Research, please visit: https://lnkd.in/ed8YmUJu