Democratic development has been a thematic priority for many years in Swedish development cooperation. Democracy support includes a wide range of support mechanisms, including support to political parties and party-systems. Swedish support amounts to some 80 million SEK annually, and is channeled through Swedish party-affiliated organisations. Other donors are also engaged in supporting political parties in new democracies. But what do we know about the effects of this kind of aid? In a new EBA-report by professor Lars Svåsand, University of Bergen, the current knowledge base is presented. The results were presented in a seminar together with experiences and lessons from new evaluations of Swedish, Norwegian and Dutch party assistance, and a presentation of current trends and development of political parties in new democracies.
Participating:
Lars Heikensten, Chair EBA, CEO at the Nobel Foundation
Lars Svåsand, Professor, University of Bergen
Staffan I Lindberg, Professor, Gothenburg University, V-dem Institute
Valeriya Mechkova, Research assistant, Gothenburg University, V-dem Institute
Helena Bjuremalm, Senior programme manager, IIDEA
Jørn Holm-Hansen, Researcher, NIBR
Fredrik Uggla, Professor, Stockholm University
Catherine Isaksson, Secretary general, CIS/Centerpartiet Internationella Stiftelse
Jens Orback, Secretary general, Olof Palme International Centre
Time: Wednesday February 11, 13.00-16.00
Venue: Rosenbads Conference Centre, Drottninggatan 5, Stockholm