New Delhi/Stockholm: India has been elected as the Chair of International IDEA — the Intergovernmental organisation that supports sustainable democracy across the world — for the year 2026. The announcement was made after a meeting of the Council of Member States held in Stockholm, Sweden, where India formally assumed the annual Chairship from Switzerland, the outgoing Chair for 2025.
International IDEA (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance) shared the development in an official post on X, stating: “The Council of Member States of @Int_IDEA has elected #India as the Institute’s Chair for 2026. India assumed the annual Chairship from the 2025 Chair, Switzerland, at a meeting of the Council in Stockholm, Sweden, on 3 December 2025.”
India has been a member of International IDEA since 2017. Its elevation to the Chairship for 2026 places it at the forefront of overseeing the organisation’s democratic assistance frameworks, institutional priorities, and collaborative engagements with member states in the coming year.
International IDEA is mandated to promote democracy worldwide by providing comparative knowledge, assisting in democratic reforms, and supporting electoral processes, the rule of law, and political participation. The organisation currently consists of 35 member countries from all regions, including democracies in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Americas. The Chairship rotates annually among member states.
Assuming the Chair is a procedural but significant responsibility within the organisation.
It involves steering the agenda of the Council, guiding discussions on global democratic trends, and ensuring effective implementation of programmes aligned with IDEA’s mandate.
India’s role will include oversight of governance matters, coordination with the Secretariat in Stockholm, and engagement with other democracies to address challenges related to electoral integrity, political representation, disinformation, and democratic resilience.
While International IDEA’s post did not elaborate on the themes or priorities planned for 2026, the election of India comes at a time when the organisation continues to expand its comparative research and capacity-building support in areas such as electoral management, constitutional design, gender inclusion in politics, and technology in elections.
The Council meeting in Stockholm marked the formal handover from Switzerland, which served as Chair for 2025.
With India taking charge for the upcoming year, the Institute’s leadership will shift to one of the world’s largest democracies as it prepares to oversee and participate in the organisation’s work during 2026.
Notably, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, Gyanesh Kumar, on Wednesday assumed the Chairship of the Council of Member States of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance for the year 2026, marking a major recognition of India’s credibility as one of the world’s most experienced election management systems.
The ceremony took place in Stockholm, where CEC Kumar was received by India’s Ambassador to Sweden, Anurag Bhushan, and later held discussions with International IDEA Secretary-General Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora.
(IANS)
