Mauritian Electoral Commissioner Irfan Rahman was honored with strong recognition from the international community on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), celebrated during the Stockholm Conference on Electoral Integrity in Sweden. The organization praised Rahman’s exceptional contribution to strengthening electoral processes within island states and beyond. The conference, which gathered over 40 electoral bodies from member countries of IDEA, was attended by Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard and electoral experts from Africa, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
“Irfan Rahman is a towering figure in the electoral world, the longest-serving electoral commissioner in the world”, stated Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of IDEA, during his opening remarks. “Over many years, he has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to improving the quality of electoral processes in Mauritius, often standing against unfair criticism and disinformation”, he added.
As the keynote speaker at the conference, Irfan Rahman delivered a candid analysis of the threats facing global electoral democracy today: disinformation, digital manipulation, political interference and increasing financial and institutional pressures on electoral bodies.
“We must confront the stark realities facing electoral democracy today. Electoral Management Bodies are under intense pressure. Public trust is fragile at best”, Rahman declared, emphasizing that challenges are multiplying for electoral administrations, even in well-established democracies.
In a personal tribute, Kevin Casas-Zamora recalled that Irfan Rahman has been a frontline witness to the evolution of electoral systems over the past three decades. He notably played a key role in Mauritius’s accession to IDEA in 1999 and remains an influential voice in global discussions on electoral integrity.
The Mauritian electoral commissioner also addressed the growing role of digital technologies — both as tools for modernization and as sources of new vulnerabilities — and highlighted the impact of climate change on democratic processes in island states. “As Small Island Developing States, we are the most vulnerable to climate change, which can undermine our democratic institutions”, he warned. In response to these challenges, he praised IDEA’s commitment to supporting small island developing states: “IDEA has taken the lead in raising awareness about the link between climate change and democracy, promoting inclusive governance, and supporting SIDS in their efforts”.
He concluded with a paraphrase of Voltaire: “If IDEA did not exist, it would be necessary to invent it”, reaffirming his dedication to international cooperation in electoral matters.
Rahman also highlighted Mauritius’s rich electoral heritage, recalling that the country’s Electoral Commission was established in 1958 — ten years before independence — and remains one of the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere.