https://youtube.com/live/l4w47e4ZBx0 The year 2025 was supposed to be a super election year for the Philippines with the national and local midterm elections in May, the first regular Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections in October, and the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in December. The BARMM elections and
Democracy Delayed? Asian Electorate Seeing Legal Maneuvers, Polling Shifts Across Asia, election watchdogs and civil society organizations are raising alarms over a subtle yet dangerous trend: governments seeking to delay elections, alter structural nomination rules, and shift parliamentary timelines, setting back key legislative priorities. Recent moves by state actors across the region
https://youtube.com/live/XEYHlC0wQxc?feature=share The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) launched a framework for monitoring campaign and political finance during the "Political Finance Transparency and Oversight International Roundtable" in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The report "Citizen Monitoring of Political and Campaign Finance in Asia: A
Read the full issue here: "Resilience Watch | Monthly Brief on Countries Under Restrictive Environments (Series 03, Issue 03)" 🇧🇩 In Bangladesh, the political discourse was shaped primarily by disagreements over the implementation of the July National Charter and what this means for the country’s post-uprising institutional transition. The dispute over whether
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) are launching a framework for action on monitoring campaign and political finance during the Political Finance Transparency and Oversight International Roundtable in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 23 September 2026. ANFREL Executive Director Brizza Rosales and International
15 September 2026. The National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) releases its preliminary assessment of the first regular Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, held on September 14, 2026, in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). NAMFREL has been accredited by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) as a citizens' arm for the
Fortifying Democratic Resistance in Asia Members of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) have pushed back against legislations that pose potential threat to democratic values. Electoral integrity advocates continued to engage in democracy's defense. In Sri Lanka, the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) targeted proposed revisions to the
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been utilized in several aspects of the elections with both positive and negative use cases. These use cases continue to expand, among them recently AI chatbots as a means for voters to identify the qualifications and platform of electoral candidates that match their interests, some even directly asking
ANFREL, NDI Release Pre-Campaign Statement ahead of First BARMM Parliamentary Elections The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) released a joint pre-campaign statement, seeing the First Regular Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Parliamentary Elections (BPE) as an important milestone in regional governance. As the first
Overview ANFREL undertook the 2026 Tibet International Expert Election Observation Mission (TIEEOM) at a particularly important moment for democratic institutions and credible election observation more broadly. The mission provided an opportunity not only to independently assess the integrity of the electoral process, but also to document and support a democratic system sustained
In Bangladesh, two years after the July Uprising, Bangladesh's democratic transition has entered a decisive implementation phase. While the July National Charter continues to provide a shared framework for constitutional and institutional reform, political consensus on how those reforms should be implemented has begun to erode. Constitutional disagreements, the evolving role of
The Push for Electoral Reform, Accountability Across Asia Continues Member organizations of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) carried out a wide range of civic and advocacy initiatives across Asia throughout July 2026. Civic groups engaged directly with electoral authorities and legislative bodies to advocate for legal reforms and democratic safeguards.
Two interns under the Global Service Internship Program shared their internship projects and takeaways from the experience during the final presentation program that capped off their one-month stay with the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), 26 July 2026. Throughout their internship, Alice and Vivi, freshman students of Tamkang University in Taiwan,
In June 2026, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, and South Korea presented divergent but interlinked pictures of democratic governance under stress. In Bangladesh, the central democratic challenge during the post election period spread to be the growing gap between ambitious post-July reform commitments and their practical implementation. Nearly two years after the 2024 July
Bangladesh is at a critical juncture in its democratic journey. The political transformation that resulted from the student-led mass uprising in July 2024 and the eventual ouster of the Awami League has created an opportunity for democratic renewal. The establishment of an interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, mandated to oversee
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) are deploying a joint Technical Assessment Mission (TAM) for the 14 September 2026 First Regular Parliamentary Elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippines – the region’s first parliamentary elections since the ratification of the Bangsamoro
ANFREL members stand up against rights restrictions, boost electoral literacy Member organizations of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) are continuously defending democracy across the region. While some challenge the restriction on civil rights, others lead creative initiatives to ensure that voters remain informed, engaged, and ready to cast their ballots
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) welcomed two new interns under the Global Service Internship Program of Tamkang University in Taiwan. GSIP interns Vivi and Alice participated in an internship orientation on Monday, 29 June 2026, where they were introduced to ANFREL's programs and activities. They will be with ANFREL for
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) deployed small teams of election observers to monitor the elections in Bangkok, Thailand on 28 June 2026. Bangkok voters headed to the polls to elect the capital's governor and members of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council. Pattaya voters simultaneously went to the polls to elect the
Key Recommendations Ahead of the Bangkok Gubernatorial and Metropolitan Council Elections Overview On 28 June 2026, Bangkok voters will head to the polls to elect both the Governor of Bangkok and the 14th Bangkok Metropolitan Council (BMC). While public attention often focuses on the gubernatorial race, the BMC plays a critical role
Various forms of e-voting systems have been adopted in different jurisdictions in Asia like the Philippines and India. Other countries like Indonesia and Nepal have been looking into e-voting systems, particularly online voting for overseas voters. In this episode of “The Election Observer” podcast, ANFREL will discuss key considerations, factors and risks
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) will launch the final election observation report on the 18th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile Elections on Tuesday, 30 June 2026 via Zoom at 9:00 AM (Bangkok time). ANFREL, in coordination with the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), deployed an independent International Expert Election Observation Mission (IEEOM) to
The recent elections in Bangladesh, Nepal and South Korea showed the online mis- and disinformation as persistent fixtures in the electoral environment. Monitoring efforts also showed that gender-based attacks and violence online continued to affect women’s participation and engagement in elections. As prevalent as they are, however, the policies to address the
ANFREL elects new EC officers for 2026-2029 The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) wrapped up an intensive second quarter for 2026, marked by back-to-back international observation missions, critical post-election advocacy, and a transition in organizational leadership during its General Assembly. ANFREL’s activities from April to June 2026 echoed civil society's enduring
Power and Protection in Asian Elections There is a collective struggle to challenge power structures that shut out ordinary citizens and democracy in Asia. Elections monitoring groups are drawing a direct line between the concentration of political power and the rising danger they face as watchdogs. Democratic watchdog organizations in Asia issued
The shortage of ballot papers in the recently concluded local elections in South Korea that has led to doubts in the electoral process with people calling for a redo of the elections puts a spotlight on the value of sufficient preparations and sound voter experience. Similar and parallel incidents in elections in
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) has been monitoring electoral developments and the state of democracy in key areas in Asia where actions to push back against democratic backsliding have been noted. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, ANFREL deployed international election observation missions to elections in Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) convened the general assembly on 6 June 2026 and elected a new set of Executive Council members and officers. ANFREL members convened in Bangkok, Thailand where the ANFREL Executive Council shared their accomplishments during their three-year term. The ANFREL Secretariat also shared ANFREL's programs and
Overview This issue of Data Dive is based on the findings and recommendations of ANFREL’s International Election Observation Mission for Bangladesh’s 2026 Parliamentary Elections and Referendum. In January 2026, ANFREL deployed an international election observation mission following over a year of engagement in strengthening citizen observer groups in Bangladesh, as well as
Electoral integrity cannot be achieved by a single organization acting in isolation. Lessons on strategic collaboration and cross-sectoral alliances are what the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) hopes to share with the region to the seventh Asian Electoral Stakeholders Forum (AESF-VII). In an interview, PPCRV Executive Director Maribel Buenaobra highlighted