Honduras Programme 2017 1. Political update 2017
Honduras is effectively governed by the National Party who made a strategic alliance with the Liberal Party – opposition, on most of the issues. The two new parties that were formed after the events that led to the coup d’etat in 2009, the party Libre that split from the Liberal Party and the Party Against Corruption – PAC, did until now not change the way politics is done in Honduras. Rather than being a force of innovation and change, they have adopted the traditional party politics and especially PAC is hampered in its functioning because of internal fights and power struggles. 

The demonstrations in 2015, that were sparked because of fraud with social security, put the issue of corruption and transparency high on the agenda. The government took then the initiative to negotiate with the Organization of American States (OAS) the establishment of a mission against corruption in the country, the MACCIH. This organization does not have the same level of popular support as CICIG in Guatemala, and civil society organizations have voiced their concern about the mandate of MACCIH. They do not know if this is sufficiently strong to be able to effectively fight corruption and strengthen transparency and the rule of law. 

The young people that formed the basis for the anti-corruption demonstrations did not manage to convert themselves in a more solid political movement. 

At the same time, the US is very active in prosecuting corrupt politicians and extradite drug activity-related VIP´s. People that were for long considered to be untouchable such as former president Callejas (involved in FIFA corruption scandal), high ranked policemen and members of the Rosenthal family (also bankers and business men) or the eldest son of former President Lobo, are now facing criminal charges in US territory.


2. Programme & Theory of Change Update
The ToC continues to be valid. NIMD has been accompanying Electoral and Political Party reform for the past years. This continues to be a difficult process. Recommendations of the EU Electoral Mission and other missions are hardly followed up. The MACCIH is taking up the issue of transparency of political party financing and it is possible that they do manage to create the political momentum to move forward. If this would be the case, there might also be political space for NIMD to stimulate and accompany this and other political party reform issues.  At this moment, issues high on the political agenda are the possible re-election of the president and the opposition claim to introduce a second round in the elections (ballotage).
NIMD opts to move forward in those subjects where we can effectively work such as women political participation and democracy education for youth, while following the political developments to assess when we can play an effective role in the other objectives of the Multi Annual Plan i.e. fiscal reform, transparency, water management and regional integration. Political actors are defined as the combined main target group of the Strategic Partnership: - (representatives of) political parties - politicians - (Members of) Parliament and its Committees - Other elected representatives at local levels. NIMD will primarily focus on political parties.