WORKSHOP FOR DOMESTIC ELECTION WATCHDOGS

On 20th June a series of behind-closed door workshops will allow NGOs from 20 different countries to discuss openly and securely innovative and radical solutions to some of the most pressing problems facing electoral integrity and democratic freedom in Europe. The day will be divided into four thematic sessions, each with short country-specific presentations followed by a group discussion that concludes with agreeing Key Asks/Call to Actions/Deliverables.

08h30 – 09h30: Registration and welcome coffee

09h30 - 10h00: Welcome remarks by organisers Unhack Democracy and Funky Citizens and funder GMF Black Sea Trust.

10h00 - 11h15: Learning the right lessons from elections: Elections are increasingly won long before polling day, with authoritarians adept at manipulating the media landscape and levers of state power. This means civil society is often playing catch-up, focused on fighting the problems of the last election rather than the present one. This session focuses on how pro-democracy groups can learn the right lessons from recent elections to strengthen the quality of election monitoring and domestic observation. 

11h30 - 12h45: (Mis)using money: political financing, public procurement and clientelism: Focusing on campaign financing, political funding, public procurement and clientelism this session will look at what civil society is doing to counter corrupt co-dependent systems and improve transparency and accountability around the use and misuse of state resources that affect the democratic process. The session will begin with a presentation of the new report “Puzzling rules - equal game?" on political financing by a consortium of election observation organisations led by the EPDE.

12h45 - 13h45: Networking lunch

13h45 - 15h00: Countering state interference in media and disinformation: This session will look at the ways civil society is addressing the twin problems of state capture of media that threatens press pluralism and online disinformation that impacts elections, campaigning and wider democratic engagement.  

15h00 - 15h30: Coffee break

15h30 - 17h00: How civil society can boost citizen engagement: This session will explore how different civil society groups use training, technology and political education to improve voter participation, boost citizen engagement and counter voter apathy, especially among the young.

End of Day 1: Drinks reception for NGOs