BUILDING INTEGRITY AND CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE ELECTORAL PROCESSES AND STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY

Contents 30 years of multi-party elections expanding worldwide: 200 countries? How satisfied are we with the quality of the conduct of elections? How about the elections strengthening democracy as a system of government? FREEDOMS + RIGHTS +SOCIAL EQUALITY UNDER THE RULE OF LAW

ELECTIONS ARE ONLY ONE AMONG OTHER FACTORS IN BROADER PROCESSES OF: State building: Control of territory and monopoly of violence (failed states?) Citizenship: democratization or government by the people (demos) in the search of the freedoms, rights, and social equality (genuine democracy?) NOT MINIMISING THE VALUE OF ELECTIONS NEITHER MAKING A PANACEA OUT OF THEM

Many relevant topics have been discussed during this conference Here are some challenges on integrity and capacity building for sustainable elections and democracy This might help assessing our degree of commitment and satisfaction with relevant goals on elections and democracy

Two sets of challenges I Two sets of challenges I. Challenges beyond the scope of the EMB At state building At citizenship II. Challenges where the EMB has a direct responsibility EMBs AS INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNANCE NO MORE NO LESS THAN THAT

Challenges at State Building 1 Challenges at State Building 1. State apparatuses all over the territory (local government and elections) 2. Security and rule of law institutions (secure election environment + EDR) 3. A professional civil service (staffing the EMB) HOW MUCH STATE?

Challenges at citizenship 1 Challenges at citizenship 1. Public opinion building as an institution of democracy; the housing of the public mind 2. A political party system which articulates the interests and values of society 3. An electoral system which acommodates the political divides of society through the ballot box (territorial, religious, ethnic, class, gender cleavages) WHAT KIND OF STATE?

Challenges for the EMB 1. All-inclusion of the demos: comprehensive voter lists (the vulnerable?), and open criteria on candidacy 2. Delivery at the public service of elections: effectiveness and transparency 3. Making secure the entire process: voters, staff, infrastructure, materials and operations BY SO DOING ELECTIONS CONTRIBUTE TO GOOD GOVERNMENT

A STORY ON LEGITIMACY Chile 1988 The fall of the Pinochet dictatorship in a referendum and the role of Chief Electoral Officer J.I. García DEEPENING THE ROOTS OF ELECTORAL INSTITUTIONS

CONCLUSION As professionals of the electoral service, we shall struggle overtime in making the EMB a crucial factor of electoral integrity. By so doing the EMB shall become a net asset for state building and democratic quality