Meaghan Fitzgerald
Head of Election Department
Warsaw
Biography
Meaghan Fitzgerald, Head of the Election Department, ODIHR
Meaghan holds degrees in International Affairs, Russian Studies, and Law. She began her career with the US State Department in Belarus and Estonia as a political analyst. Her first experience with the OSCE was in 2002 in Belarus as the Human Dimension Officer after which she spent two years with the OSCE Centre in Dushanbe. Following law school, Meaghan began working in election assistance for the United Nations Mission in Sudan where she was the External Relations Adviser for the 2010 elections and Legal/Political Adviser for the 2011 Referendum. From 2011-2019, she contributed to election observation missions as Mission Director, Deputy Head of Mission and Legal Analyst with the OSCE and The Carter Center, analysis of election legislation for Democracy Reporting International and lecturing on observation. Meaghan joined the OSCE's office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights in 2019 as the Deputy Head of the Democratization Department and later became the Head of the Democratization Department. In June 2021, Meaghan became the Head of ODIHR's Election Department managing all of the offices work on elections and all ODIHR election observation efforts.
Organisation
ODIHR
Speaker session
Session 8 : European dimension of elections
- Closed session
- Closed session
TOPIC: European elections continue to be dominated by debates over national issues. Voters are not always clearly aware to which EU party a national political party is affiliated. Different measures are implemented to reinforce the European dimension of EU elections, including measures to reinforce the voting rights of EU mobile citizens. Exchanges will address elements fostering the European dimension of the elections including in the context of electoral processes and explore measures bringing EU citizens closer to EU decision-makers, contributing to an engaged citizenship.
SPEAKERS:
- Gabriele Bischoff, Member of the European Parliament
- Maarten Vink, Chair in Citizenship Studies at the European University Institute (EUI)
- Assya Kavrakova, Executive Director at the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)
MODERATOR: Enrico Forti, Director for Interinstitutional Relations at the Secretariat-General of the European Commission
Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections
Enrico Forti
Director
Biography
Mr Forti was born 17 August 1961 in Palermo, Italy, and he is of Italian and Dutch origin. Since 1 September 2016, Mr Forti holds the position of Director in the European Commission's Secretariat-General, Directorate for relations with other institutions. The Directorate's main responsibilities are supervision and coordination of interinstitutional processes with the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Council, the EU Consultative Committees as well as the national Parliaments. During his career within the European institutions, Mr Forti has also held several other positions, namely as head of unit and member of Cabinet. Mr Forti holds a Master of Economics and International Relations at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne. Mr Forti has three children.
Organisation
European Commission - General Secretariat - Interinstitutional relations
Speaker session
Session 8 : European dimension of elections
- Closed session
- Closed session
TOPIC: European elections continue to be dominated by debates over national issues. Voters are not always clearly aware to which EU party a national political party is affiliated. Different measures are implemented to reinforce the European dimension of EU elections, including measures to reinforce the voting rights of EU mobile citizens. Exchanges will address elements fostering the European dimension of the elections including in the context of electoral processes and explore measures bringing EU citizens closer to EU decision-makers, contributing to an engaged citizenship.
SPEAKERS:
- Gabriele Bischoff, Member of the European Parliament
- Maarten Vink, Chair in Citizenship Studies at the European University Institute (EUI)
- Assya Kavrakova, Executive Director at the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)
MODERATOR: Enrico Forti, Director for Interinstitutional Relations at the Secretariat-General of the European Commission
Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections
Ana Gallego
Director-general, DG Justice and consumers
Brussels
Biography
Ana Gallego is the Director-General for Justice and Consumers at the European Commission since November 2021. Before joining the European Commission she was Director-General of International Legal Cooperation and Human Rights in the Ministry of Justice in Spain. She has a degree in law from the University of Granada, Spain and studies in Translation and Interpretation from the same university.
Organisation
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Speaker session
Session 8 : European dimension of elections
- Closed session
- Closed session
TOPIC: European elections continue to be dominated by debates over national issues. Voters are not always clearly aware to which EU party a national political party is affiliated. Different measures are implemented to reinforce the European dimension of EU elections, including measures to reinforce the voting rights of EU mobile citizens. Exchanges will address elements fostering the European dimension of the elections including in the context of electoral processes and explore measures bringing EU citizens closer to EU decision-makers, contributing to an engaged citizenship.
SPEAKERS:
- Gabriele Bischoff, Member of the European Parliament
- Maarten Vink, Chair in Citizenship Studies at the European University Institute (EUI)
- Assya Kavrakova, Executive Director at the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)
MODERATOR: Enrico Forti, Director for Interinstitutional Relations at the Secretariat-General of the European Commission
Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections