Regional Social Democratic Academy: Integrity in political parties of South Eastern Europe

Following the positive experience of the 2019 Social Democratic Party Integrity Task Force, the Foundation for European Progressive Studies in cooperation with the National Democratic Institute Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Olof Palme International Center, organises a new training programme that aims at raising awareness on the importance of values such as integrity, responsibility, transparency and accountability for progressive political parties. Addressed to representatives from socialist and social democratic parties from South East Europe, the series of trainings (that due to the COVID-19 crisis will be held weekly online) will revolve around the challenges that corruption, weak institutions, non-transparent political processes and the consequent citizens’ lack of trust in democracy and politics pose to political parties in the region.

Participants will be asked to formulate reform proposals to improve their parties’ internal accountability and transparency as well as their capability to engage underrepresented groups and promote diversity in the parties’ activities and decision-making processes.

The programme will be structured in nine seminars that will be held every Wednesday from 20 May to 15 July.

The opening seminar will be held on Wednesday 20 May and will focus on Politics during state of emergency and long-lasting global threats vs. human rights and freedoms: the role of political parties. It will feature the participation of Ana Radicevic (NDI), Hedwig Giusto (FEPS), Gustav Björklund Larsen (Olof Palme International Center), Alexander Spasov (Political Advisor to the President of North Macedonia) and Robert Benjamin (NDI CEE Regional Director).