International IDEA

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is an intergovernmental organization with regional offices in Latin America (Costa Rica), Asia and the Pacific (Australia) and Africa (Ethiopia). The organization's headquarters is in , Sweden. International IDEA works to support and strengthen democratic institutions and processes around the world to develop sustainable, effective and legitimate democracies. Yves Leterme, former deputy secretary general at the OECD and former Prime Minister of Belgium, took over as secretary-general in 2014 replacing Vidar Helgesen. International IDEA is an official United Nations Observer.

The violent crackdown in Tiananmen Square in China happened in 1989, and Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina were all on a slow, difficult road toward democracy after having suffered similarly cruel military coups and dictatorships. Despite a long tradition of autocracy in South Korea, democratic dissident Kim Dae-jung became president. Nelson Mandela’s release in 1990 after serving 28 years in prison marked South Africa’s first step toward democracy. There were also wide-ranging discussions in other parts of Africa and Asia about how to incorporate democratic norms into their traditions and cultures.

More and more people around the world needed good advice about a number of choices that had to be made in order to make democracy work. In response to this need Sweden, along with 13 other countries took the initiative to found The International Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance, International IDEA.

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