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.
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
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
A collective stand for electoral integrity From the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) to its members across the region, democracy’s heartbeat is present in the relentless vigilance of its observers. In the Maldives, the month began with a ‘triple test’ on 4 April, when voters navigated simultaneous polls for local councils,
Crossroads for Asian democracy Across Asia, electoral participation is no longer the central challenge; citizens are increasingly assertive in demanding accountability. However, recent elections reveal a widening gap between these rising democratic expectations and the ability of institutional safeguards to keep pace. While voters are turning out with clear expectations that their
Elections, Elections, Elections Recent political developments in several countries in Asia have paved the way for elections amid emerging issues and challenges. People also hope that the elections would pave the way to push the country forward after mass protests that toppled the ruling political elite. Hoping to gain stability and a
Consolidating Democratic Gains There has been an increasing distrust in public institutions amid issues of corruption and government excesses. On the other hand, the public engagement in collectively speaking up against these issues signals democratic resilience. In Bangladesh, the upcoming elections will test whether institutions can deliver credible processes amid concerns about
Unwavering Commitment to Electoral Integrity A wave of outrage against government corruption have been taking place in several countries in Asia and beyond. Seemingly, the public outrage are mostly led by the youth who are fed up with the dire economic conditions and the observed flaunting of the lavish lifestyle of government
Forging Ahead Just a few months after the 2025 national and local elections, ANFREL members in the Philippines are once again at the forefront—preparing for and carrying out various programs in support of the first Parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Meanwhile, the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan
Marking halfway point of 2025 The year 2025 is a testing ground for democracies around the world on whether or not the lessons of the 2024 super election year would be taken into serious consideration. Halfway through the year, several countries including South Korea, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and the Philippines, have conducted
Sri Lanka had its local government elections on 6 May 2025 while the Philippines had its national and local elections on 12 May 2025. ANFREL members conducted various programs and activities to ensure electoral integrity in their respective countries. 2025 Philippine Elections In a stakeholder exchange during the press briefing for the
The Philippines enters a full election season with the start of the campaigning for local candidates while Sri Lanka announced the May 6 as election day for the local council polls. Members in those countries have been continuously implementing programs and activities to ensure electoral integrity. LENTE has been conducting various voter
Election campaigning in the Philippines officially started on 11 February 2025 signaling a more intensified effort among ANFREL members to monitor the electoral process.ANFREL members LENTE, NAMFREL and PPCRV joined in an episode of The Election Observer podcast to discuss campaigning in the 2025 Philippine national and local elections.In India, Lokniti provided
There have been a number of efforts to analyze and draw up lessons from the 2024 super election year. Amid a tide of democratic backsliding, there were several glimmers of hope in countries where people pushed back against rising authoritarian regimes. While 2025 will not see the same magnitude of electoral exercise
In the December 2024 issue of the monthly e-Bulletin sub-newsletter ANFREL Members Roundup, ANFREL members continue their election-related work as the super election year of 2024 comes to a close. Particularly, as the national and local elections in the Philippines draw near, ANFREL members have been engaging with various electoral stakeholders and
In the second issue of the "Members Roundup" newsletter, ANFREL highlight election-related activities of members in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, India and Nepal. In Sri Lanka, ANFREL has been actively engaging with members PAFFREL and CMEV for the observation of the presidential and parliamentary elections. PERLUDEM in Indonesia has been monitoring the
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) is launching the monthly newsletter "Members Roundup" to share news and updates about programs and activities of its members. The "Members Roundup" newsletter will feature information about what ANFREL members are working on in pushing for electoral democracy in their respective countries. It serves as