Skip to main content

ENoP (European Network of Political Foundations) online conference: Political parties in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic

ENoP Online Conference Banner
ENoP Online Conference Banner

Wednesday, 16 September 2020

16th September 2020
5:00 PM - 6:15 PM CET

Delhi 8:30 PM; Kathmandu 8:45 PM; Yangon 9:30 PM; Bangkok, Jakarta 10:00 PM; Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Ulaanbaatar 11:00 PM; Dili, Seoul, Tokyo 12:00 AM; Canberra 1:00 AM; Auckland 3:00 PM

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected not only the socio-economic aspect of people’s lives, but it also had a strong impact on political life around the world. Over the last months we observe negative tendencies of decrease in civil liberties and power concentration in political leaders under the pretext of measures against the propagation of the virus. The following session will explore the implications of the crisis on political parties and the mechanisms they put in place to fight against undemocratic measures, aimed at silencing opposition actors. It would further explore the challenges linked to elections and the impact on internal party democracy processes.


Guiding questions:

Is the crisis only a burden for the executive power or was there a constructive engagement from opposition parties? What are the lessons learned? Have there been restrictive measures applied to opposition parties during the pandemic and how did they react to them? Did parliaments experience cuts in their powers as a result of the crisis? What are the different strategies for dealing with it? How has the pandemic influenced the work with sister-parties in partner countries? Have political leaders used the restrictive measures against the pandemic as pretext to silence opposition parties?

Panellists:

1. Natasha Mazzone, MP Chief Whip, Democratic Alliance South Africa
2. Julio Borges, Chair of the National Assembly of Venezuela
3. Machris Cabreros, Leader of Akbayan (The Citizens’ Action Party), Coordinator of the Network for Social Democracy in Asia

Moderator:
Bent Nicolajsen, Chair of Working Group Democracy, European Network of Political Foundations

Closing Remarks:
Denis Schrey, Chair of Working Group Democracy, European Network of Political Foundations

Socdem Asia Secretariat
Unit 3E Suite 122, No. 122 Maginhawa Street,
Teachers Village East, Diliman 1101 NCR, Philippines
Email: secretariat@socdemasia.com
Tel. No.: (+632) 7903 2396