Nyhetsbrev
Prenumerera gratis på våra nyhetsbrev och inbjudningar till seminarier.
Prenumerera gratis på våra nyhetsbrev och inbjudningar till seminarier.
In Serbia, coal-dependent local communities risk having limited influence over the green transition.
When national plans began to be drawn up, there was a risk that the process would become overly technical and top-down, without sufficient consideration for jobs, local development and the people most affected.
During the year, the Palme Center’s partner organisation, the Democratic Dialogue Network (DDN), helped to change this. Together with BOŠ and CEPLOR, they brought together civil society, local authorities, experts and institutions in a joint process to promote a fairer and more inclusive transition.
There was a particular focus on the coal mining region of Lazarevac, where local stakeholders took part in focus groups and open discussions on the challenges and opportunities of the transition.
The work resulted in a policy document guiding Lazarevac’s development in the climate transition – with a focus on employment, the local economy and social sustainability. It was handed over to the municipality as a basis for future planning and decision-making.
The initiative helped to broaden the issue from a narrow expert discussion to a wider public and political process, with increased opportunities for affected people to influence their future.
Education strengthens dialogue and political cooperation in Southern AfricaIn a region characterised by polarisation, the Palme Center’s partner ETU has strengthened dialogue between political parties through education and the exchange of experiences on coalition-building ahead of elections in countries including South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique.
These initiatives provided the parties with practical tools to manage different election outcomes and prepare for cross-party cooperation.
Ahead of the elections, ETU worked closely with governing parties on scenario analysis and preparations for different outcomes, as well as training in coalition-building.
Following network meetings, concrete support was also provided on how parties could act in practice in the event of a changed political landscape.
The results have been clear.
In South Africa, the ANC quickly accepted the election result when the party received less than 50 per cent of the vote for the first time and was able to swiftly form a unity government for the first time.
In Mozambique, established channels of dialogue between youth leagues helped to keep communication open following a violent election and facilitated a national dialogue.
Through targeted support, ETU has strengthened parties’ ability to manage political differences through dialogue and cooperation.
Broad alliance challenges power monopoly in ParaguayAhead of the upcoming local elections, the País Solidario party has played a key role in bringing together progressive, liberal and conservative forces within a broad democratic alliance in the capital, Asunción.
A total of 16 parties agreed during the year on a joint process for selecting a candidate, which reduced fragmentation and laid the groundwork for a stronger opposition.
The process required difficult compromises and the establishment of common ground rules.
Through the support of the Palme Center, including training in negotiation and alliance-building, key actors have been strengthened in their roles as candidates and negotiators.
The result marks an important step towards breaking a long-standing monopoly on power and paving the way for increased political competition, reduced clientelism and a more functional democracy in Paraguay.
Civil society strengthens democracy and rights in DR CongoThrough the Palme Center’s programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo, civil society has gained greater opportunities to influence policy, strengthen democracy and improve people’s living conditions.
During the 2022–2025 programme period, several partner organisations have contributed to tangible results in the areas of women’s political participation, political accountability and workers’ rights.
With support for organisational development and capacity building, the women’s organisation CAFCO has held its first general assembly in many years and trained newly elected female municipal councillors. Their advocacy work helped increase the proportion of female candidates in the 2023 election from 11.68 to 17 per cent.
The youth movements Filimbi and LUCHA have strengthened grassroots organising and developed new methods to scrutinise and hold local authorities to account.
At the same time, CODELT has contributed to important legislative reforms concerning natural resources, forests and land rights through legal expertise and strategic advocacy.
Through the partner organisation CONAFED, a new solidarity-based social security system has also been established for civil society actors and informal workers. In October 2025, representatives from civil society, trade unions and cooperatives gathered to adopt statutes and elect the leadership for the system, which covers pensions, health protection and survivor’s benefits.
Trade unions have also made progress. For the first time in many years, free and democratic trade union elections have been held in workplaces, strengthening workers’ representation and opportunities for dialogue with employers.
Together, these results demonstrate how a strong civil society can create new opportunities for democracy, social justice and citizen influence in the DRC.
Civil society in Albania strengthened dialogue ahead of election dayIn the run-up to the general election, civil society created new forums for interaction between voters and political candidates.
Through the POP Network, citizens were given the opportunity to ask questions directly to politicians and raise local priorities.
In ten municipalities, public forums were organised where more than 42 candidates met with over 700 citizens in direct dialogue. The discussions were broadcast live and reached over 23,000 viewers online.
The focus was on issues such as governance, transparency, social services and gender equality.
The format was based on local dialogues where residents first identified their most important issues. During the forums, they were then able to demand concrete answers from the candidates.
The initiative helped shift the election campaign from political rhetoric to substantive issues, whilst strengthening citizens’ ability to participate in democracy and hold politicians accountable.
More young people may run for election in PalestineIn Palestine, young people can vote from the age of 18, but until recently they were not allowed to candidate for local elections until they turned 25.
This contradiction excluded a large group of young people from political decision-making.
Through long-term advocacy work led by the youth organisation Pyalara, this has now been changed. In 2021, the organisation formed a coalition with over 80 civil society organisations, which launched a national campaign to lower the age limit.
The campaign combined public awareness-raising, dialogue with decision-makers and the mobilization of young people across the country. Young people themselves were at the heart of the campaign – they took part in debates with politicians, engaged local leaders and kept the issue alive even when election processes were postponed.
In November 2025, President Mahmoud Abbas finally issued a decree lowering the minimum age to run as candidate in local elections from 25 to 23.
The reform did not go all the way to meet the campaign’s original demand of 18, but nevertheless marks a clear victory for civil society’s advocacy work.
This change opens politics to a new generation. Young people will have greater opportunities to participate in local decision-making on issues such as education, employment, public services and local development. The reform also strengthens the confidence in peaceful democratic processes and demonstrates that organised young people can make real political change themselves.
Cooperation on regulations of civil society in ZimbabweWhen a new law regulating the work of civil society organisations was passed in Zimbabwe, tensions between the government and civil society increased. Many organisations were concerned about how the law would affect their ability to work and represent vulnerable groups.
The Palme Center’s partner organisation, the independent think tank Zimbabwe Institute (ZI), then took the initiative to resume dialogue with the authorities.
By bringing organisations together in a joint coordination group, the voice of civil society was strengthened and common grounds could be met. ZI also organised national dialogue meetings where civil society met with government representatives and relevant authorities.
These discussions focused on the implications of the law and how the regulations could be designed to function more effectively in practice.
The process led to a joint effort to develop principles and proposals for regulations on how the law should be implemented. The government has also clarified registration processes and shown greater openness to civil society’s interests.
This work has helped to rebuild trust between civil society and the state. At the same time, it has created better conditions for organisations to continue working on issues such as democracy, gender equality and human rights in Zimbabwe.
Progressive summit puts Ukraine’s future on the agendaIn the midst of Russia’s full-scale war, the Palme Center’s partner SD Platform brought together European social democrats in Kyiv for the first EUkraine Summit – the largest gathering of progressive forces in Ukraine to date.
The summit marked an important step in the work to build a strong progressive movement – with the aim of forming a new political party.
The Palme Center co-organised the summit, and participated with a Swedish delegation.
By strengthening progressive forces, the collaboration helps to promote a political alternative, where reconstruction is not just about investment and infrastructure but also about democracy, social justice and human rights.
SD Platform is an important progressive voice in a political landscape long dominated by the centre and the right.
By bringing together civil society, trade unions, the public sector and academia, they are working towards a society built on freedom, justice and solidarity, and for a just reconstruction of Ukraine.
Dialogue on an inclusive and peaceful transition in SyriaFollowing the fall of the Assad regime, Syria faces a crucial crossroad: a peaceful political transition or continued instability.
After 14 years of war and five decades of brutal dictatorial rule, there is a strong desire among Syrians to build a new society characterised by peace, democracy and inclusion.
The Palme Center therefore, together with SILC and the Swedish Institute for Dialogue in Amman, brought together representatives from different sections of Syrian society for a meeting regarding the way forward for the country. The participants came from diverse political and social backgrounds and met to discuss how Syria’s future system of government can reflect the country’s multifaceted society.
During the discussions, issues such as peaceful coexistence, coalition-building and equal representation between women and men were raised. By also drawing on experiences from other countries that have undergone political transitions, the participants were able to identify common challenges and possible ways forward.
North Macedonian citizens’ demands become political commitmentsMany citizens in North Macedonia feel that solely contact with politicians rarely leads to real change. Ahead of the 2025 local elections, the Palme Center’s partner organisation, NGO Info-centre, therefore brought together over 1100 residents across six municipalities to formulate their priorities for their own local communities.
Through a structured process involving surveys, focus groups and public debates, citizens were given the opportunity to ask mayoral candidates directly how they intended to implement these demands. Post the election, the process was followed up with the newly elected mayors.
The result was a democratic breakthrough: in all six municipalities, the mayors signed formal cooperation agreements for the 2026–2029 term of office, in which they committed to working on the basis of the priorities formulated by the citizens themselves.
