Challenges to democratic processes in democratizing countries

The panel discussions of the Tunis session will focus on challenges to democratic processes at different levels. The first panel will address challenges linked to national contexts through the following topics:

- Between populism and inequalities: Is the Tunisian democracy well equipped in face of the popular demands?
- Sectarianism and corruption as obstacles to democracy: The case of Lebanon.

The second panel will look at the regional level challenges with the following theme:

- The terrorist threat to democracy processes and war as a stumbling lock on the path to democracy in the region (Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Syria).

SPEAKERS:
- Wafa Zaafrane Andoulsi, Advisor to the Tunisian Parliament
- Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General, International IDEA
- Stéphane Dion, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the EU and Europe and Canada’s Ambassador to Germany, Canada
- Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sweden
- Haykel Ben Mahfoudh, Professor of Law, University of Carthage
- Wassim Manssouri, First Vice-Governor, Central Bank of Lebanon

MODERATOR: Zaid Al-Ali, Senior Programme Officer in Constitution-Building, International IDEA