20 th Anniversary Commemorative event, 16 September 2015 SG Yves Leterme Concluding remarks. A 'road map' for International IDEA

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1 20 th Anniversary Commemorative event, 16 September 2015 SG Yves Leterme Concluding remarks A 'road map' for International IDEA Your Royal Highness, Ministers, Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to very sincerely thank the outstanding panelists for their insights and for the inspirational discussion. Dear panelists, you certainly brought a lot of food for thought. Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to briefly conclude this celebratory event by capturing some of the panel s thoughts in what I consider to be elements for a road map for International IDEA for the future. I do have one major reservation though, relating to the fundamental unpredictability of the future and even of the near future: the only thing that is certain is that everything is uncertain. This been said, let me put forward four challenges we have to face as supporters and brokers of democratic governance. 1. The first one has to do with the ultimate goal of democracy and democratic governance, which is to better meet the aspirations for a better life for all citizens. To strive for a system in which the government is controlled by the people and in which the citizens are considered equals in the exercise of that control is of course a matter of fairness and of dignity. I consider this to be a human right. But it is also considered as the most effective way to create the best chances for better lives, for all the citizens. However and maybe more than in the past, democracy has to prove that capacity. It is therefore crucial to develop democracies that deliver. Declining citizen trust in democratic institutions - such as political parties - and the associated rise in citizen protest movements in recent years, often result from democracy s 1

2 inability to deliver on its promise for a better life. The mutually reinforcing interaction between democratic emancipation, economic progress and increased social cohesion and equality seems broken. Meanwhile, citizens around the world support democracy not just because it offers them an opportunity to periodically choose their leaders, but also because they expect elected representatives to address their needs and aspirations. For that reason, sustained democracy will definitely depend on its ability to deliver on inclusive development and progress to the people. Ladies and Gentlemen, The United Nation new Sustainable Development Goal 16 clearly seeks to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development; provide access to justice and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. The Goal provides a global framework for International IDEA to expand and deepen its work with regards to: - democratic accountability in public service delivery, - democratic management of natural resources, - programmatic parties, with distinctive visions on economic and social development - and to so-called pro-poor constitutional designs 2. A second element is a continued focus on the role of the use of money in politics, and, especially, on its potentially destructive impact on democracy. Money and equal access to money is of course indispensable to democratic politics. However, when money controls and captures politics and policies, as is evidently the case in many countries around the world, it inevitably undermines the very idea of democracy. Democracy, after all, is founded on the principle of popular control of policies and politics and on the need for equality in that control. State capture by the resourced few undermines this equality and it undermines governments commitment and ability to deliver on public goods. It also disconnects 2

3 accountability lines between citizens and their representatives, contributing to the current high levels of distrust on traditional democratic institutions. After the release of a new Handbook on political finance in several languages this year, International IDEA must deepen its research on the impact of illicit and criminal money into the political process and will develop strategies and approaches to combat it. The exchange of experiences on Money in Politics during the International Seminar in Brazil in June and the Global Conference on Money in Politics in Mexico City last week is a very good starting point. 3. Thirdly, promoting Gender equality & the management of diversity within a democratic context: the future of democracy will also depend on its ability to manage societies that are cohesive and united in their diversity. It must guarantee the rights and freedoms of all people regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religious and secular convictions and any other identities that may exist in the society. International IDEA will continue to support initiatives that contribute to the design of inclusive democratic institutions and processes, through constitution building and political party work and a continued focus on the composition of parliaments that should mirror the society which they represent. 4. A fourth element of our agenda that I want to highlight is the need to harness the positive impacts of technological developments, of globalization and of increasing regional cooperation: The impressive breakthrough of new ICT-tools has fundamentally changed the nature and structure of the interaction between the political parties, the elected politicians and the voters. The basic structures of representative democracy are increasingly challenged in their role as legitimate platforms for political debate and representation. The overwhelming interconnectedness of the citizens today implies that the practice and quality of democracy is affected by factors, both positive and negative, beyond the control of the nation state. Together with the impact of a globalized economy and the increasing global and regional obligations of most countries, such factors have dramatically shrunk the margins for political decision-making, accelerated the speed and volatility of debate, and blurred political ideologies. The result has been to leave citizens with a feeling that they lack real choice. 3

4 Increasingly, politics is leaving the domains that impact citizens daily lives to economic powers and the private sector. Moreover, the lack of inclusive global governance to efficiently debate and decide on global issues that impact the lives of citizens is in part responsible for the rising levels of citizen disenchantment in different parts of the world. We have to work on finding new interfaces between those that are elected and the global, interconnected citizen. International IDEA will consolidate its work with regional organizations through the Inter- Regional Democracy Dialogue platform, scale up its research on social movements and strategies for equipping traditional democratic institutions (political parties, parliaments) to meaningfully engage and continue to advocate for citizen-led approaches to the implementation and monitoring of the SDG agenda. Ladies and gentlemen, these are new challenges to democratic governance. We plan to tackle them within the 4 key impact areas of IDEA s work: Electoral Assistance, Constitution Building, Political Participation and Representation and Democracy and Development. These areas remain highly relevant for sustainable democracy support, also in the future. International IDEA will continue to work at a global level, following the mandate of its Member States. Our offices worldwide collaborate with the headquarters in Stockholm to fulfill programmes in, currently, 26 countries around the globe. Ladies and Gentlemen, We took the time this morning, in the framework of this commemoration, to look back at what has made the recent history of democracy during the last decades. We listened to the outstanding keynote speech of Mr Annan and to the views and visions of our distinguished panel. Both parts of the program brought inspiration for our future action. Let me conclude. I would like to end this ceremony by thanking all of you. The efforts to strive for ever more, ever deeper and ever more inclusive democracy are not simply idealistic. I am convinced that we can assist governments to give a better life to more people on this rich planet; step by step and always reminding our counterparts of the universal human aspiration for popular control over political decision-making. 4

5 In the same way that political leaders have no meaning without the people they represent, International IDEA means nothing without its Member States. We work tirelessly, to fulfill the mandate entrusted to us by our Member States. I hope that we can continue to count on your support and fulfill that trust. I pay tribute to my predecessors Bengt Säve-Söderbergh, Karin Fogg and Vidar Helgesen. I am sure I speak for all three when I thank IDEA s wonderful staff which has made and continues to make International IDEA the dynamic Institution it is today. Today we have talked a lot about concepts, about historic events and about institutions. But in the end, it is about the people. It s about the hundreds of current and former staff members and collaborators which have made and make the difference. Thank you all! 5