Leveraging Transparency to Counter Foreign Illiberal Influences: The Role of Legislatures

Globally, illiberal actors are exploiting vulnerabilities during Covid-19, political polarization, populism, and severe economic downturn in order to expand their global influence and pose challenges to democratic institutions. Research has shown that policies that promote transparency can build democratic resilience against illiberal influence operations (specifically related to political party financing, disinformation, and opaque debt). In this session, organized by the National Democratic Institute and the Open Government Partnership as part of the AGORA Parliamentary Development Community of Practice, experts will convene to discuss trends, indicators, and policy measures in leveraging transparency as a tool for increasing national resilience to foreign illiberal influence.

The patterns of illiberal influence operations that will be explored in this session include:  

-  Legislative measures to promote transparency in the information ecosystem

- Combatting opaque debt through transparency

- Exposing and countering foreign financing of political parties

The session will be conducted primarily in English. Spanish and French translation will be provided as needed and participants may also request the translation of program materials following the session.