The challenges facing democracy around the world are daunting, especially as global conflicts and the COVID-19 pandemic have led to the erosion of civil liberties, the postponement of elections and the spread of disinformation campaigns. Despite global democratic erosion, Dr. Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary General of International IDEA, says “the explosion of civic activism globally in traditionally inhospitable places” is good news.

Until recently, Dr. Casas-Zamora was a member of Costa Rica’s Presidential Commission for State Reform and managing director at Analitica Consulting (Analitica Consultores). Previously, he was Costa Rica’s Second Vice President and Minister of National Planning; Secretary for Political Affairs at the Organization of American States; Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution; and National Coordinator of the United Nations Development Program’s Human Development Report.

Links in this episode:

• International IDEA is an intergovernmental organization based out of Stockholm that works to support and strengthen democratic institutions and processes around the world.
• Voter Turnout Database
• INTER PARES Parliamentary responses during the COVID-19 Pandemic – Data Tracker

Additional Information

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