LARGEST ELECTION IN THE WORLD HISTORY: INDIA

India's general election, the largest democratic exercise in history will start on 7 April. Voters will elect 543 members of the lower house of parliament, which will then select the country's next prime minister.

CHANGING THE WAYS THE EU DEALS WITH ITS MEMBER STATES AND CITIZENS

The old explanation for Euroscepticism was the alleged existence of a democratic deficit within the EU. Decisions, critics said, were taken by unaccountable institutions rather than elected national governments. But the current crisis is born not of a clash between Brussels and the member states but a clash between the democratic wills of citizens in northern and southern Europe, the so-called centre and periphery. And both sides are now using the EU institutions to advance their interests.

OPENING OF AALEP REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN AUSTRALIA

AALEP is pleased to announce the opening of its Representative Office in Australia. The Representative Office will be headed by Ms. Mary Jardine Clarke who is a Principal at Clarke Corporate Communications in Perth, Western Australia.

MOVING TOWARDS A TWO-SPEED EUROPE

Should countries which are ready to intensify the development of a common European policy in certain areas do so without having to wait for others or should they wait until all member states of the EU are ready ?

THE 262 SHAKERS AND MOVERS IN WASHINGTON D.C.

Among the thousands of advocates in Washington DC only a select few have risen to the top of their profession. Some of the Top Lobbyists are hired guns who have proven to clients that they can shape the agenda on Capitol Hill. Others are advocates who derive power from the grassroots, turning old-fashioned organizing into potent political power. Some work for a single business or corporation, giving them the ability to speak with authority on economic and tax policy.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION IN PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY

While there are plenty of good public policy advocates at EU and member state level, the public policy advocacy profession in most countries has not developed its own mechanisms for indentifying them and providing professional recognition. In well-established professions, one of the main leadership functions is to build a framework for continuing learning from entry to the profession to advanced levels of standards, and systems for providing certification for members who reach those standards.

Professional Certification

ACCREDITATION AND CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCATES

There is considerable confusion about the similarities, differences and relationships between the words “accreditation”, “registration” and “certification”. They are not quite the same thing. They all have different meanings.

The International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) Council Committee on Conformity Assessment has attempted to resolve the semantics problem by standardizing the following definitions:

EU-AFRICA BRUSSELS SUMMIT RESULTS

Priority area 4: Sustainable and inclusive development and growth and continental integration

Strategic objectives: Stimulate economic growth that reduces poverty, create decent jobs and mobilise the entrepreneurial potential of people, in particular the youth and women, in a sustainable manner; support development of private sector and SMEs; support the continental integration process, notably through accelerated infrastructure development, energy, industrialization and investment.

WAS RUSSIA’S SO-CALLED ANNEXATION OF CRIMEA ILLEGAL???

At a speech today in Brussels, President Obama said Russia's annexation of Crimea must be met with condemnation, "not because we're trying to keep Russia down, but because the principles that have meant so much to Europe and the world must be upheld."

UNDERSTANDING RUSSIA'S FOREIGN POLICY GOALS

At least since Soviet times, Russian leaders have been keen on outlining long term plans and doctrines in which the aims and means of their policy are explained to the people and the surrounding world. The most relevant Concept to Russian foreign policy presents the following priorities and objectives:

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