2025 Government Steering Committee Elections

Updated April 17, 2025

Launching the 2025 Government Steering Committee Elections

There are three government seats in the OGP Steering Committee up for election in 2025, as current terms of Chile, Germany and Indonesia come to an end. Of these, Chile is eligible to run for a second term. Germany and Indonesia will rotate out of the Steering Committee after serving the maximum two consecutive terms allowed. The deadline to submit candidacy letters is June 7 – please see important information detailed below.

The OGP Steering Committee is the Partnership’s political and strategic leadership body, made up of 11 governments and 11 civil society leaders. Together they guide OGP’s overall direction, promote its mission, and help strengthen its global impact. As stewards of the Partnership, Steering Committee members use their collective and individual influence to build political support for open government, motivate and inspire action across the OGP community, and elevate OGP’s international profile. Steering Committee members are also expected to lead by example by upholding OGP values, co-creating and implementing ambitious open government reforms, and supporting OGP’s financial sustainability, including through their country’s contributions. In its central governance role, the Steering Committee sets key policies, ensures accountability to OGP’s principles, and safeguards the integrity of the Partnership. Learn more about the Steering Committee here.

All Steering Committee members, including newly elected, may also run to serve as co-chairs of the Partnership. Co-chairs are elected by the 22 members of the Steering Committee. Co-chairs elected in 2025 will serve as Incoming Co-Chairs starting on October 1, 2025, and then assume the role of Lead Co-Chairs for one year on October 1, 2026, following the Government of Brazil and Steph Muchai. The formal call for co-chair candidates will follow the conclusion of the general elections. However, candidates interested in the co-chair role are encouraged to note this in their letters.

Criteria to run for a government seat on the Steering Committee

In April 2025, the Steering Committee resolved to update the eligibility criteria for governments to join the Steering Committee to better reflect current rules and enhance expectations of the Steering Committee role approved in the 2024 Governance Review.

The revised criteria is effective for the 2025 elections and moving forward are as follow:

1. Meet OGP’s current eligibility criteria, including the values check, as outlined in the most up-to-date database of scores used to determine OGP membership eligibility;
2. Must not have an open Response Policy case.
3. Must not be in inactive status as designated by the SC.
4. Must have paid their country contributions to OGP at or above the minimum amount for the past two consecutive years. Countries that have not met this requirement must include in their letter of intent a commitment to meet country contributions by the end of year in which they are elected, and every year during their tenure on the Steering Committee.

Requirements for submitting candidacy letters

In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria outlined above, new or returning candidates must also address the following requirements in their letters of candidacy:

1. High-Level Political Commitment: Candidates must have ministerial or higher-level political commitment to actively fulfill the roles and responsibilities of the Steering Committee, both domestically and internationally.
2. Support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA): Candidates must have explicit support from their MFA to actively participate in the Steering Committee, including the appointment of an MFA liaison.
3. Working-Level and Ministerial Representation: Candidates must appoint both a ministerial representative and a working-level representative, at a minimum level outlined in the governance review, to ensure effective engagement.
4. Active Participation in OGP Activities: Candidates must commit to ensuring appropriate representation at SC and subcommittee meetings, as well as key OGP events (e.g., Regional Meetings, Global Summits), including in-person participation when required.

How to submit your candidacy

Candidates that meet the above criteria and requirements are invited to submit a letter of candidacy to [email protected] by June 7, 2025.

Letters of intent should be addressed to the current Lead Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee:

Óscar López Águeda
Minister for Digital Transformation & Public Function
Government of Spain

Cielo Magno
President
Bantay Kita-PWYP Philippines

Composition & Regional Balance of the Steering Committee

The Steering Committee is composed of 22 members (11 from national governments and 11 from civil society), with parity maintained between the two constituencies. Steering Committee members serve for a term of three years and may serve for a maximum of two consecutive terms (must be re-elected). All Steering Committee terms begin on October 1 of the year in which they are elected. The government SC composition (including the three with terms ending in 2025) is as follows:

Per the Articles of Governance, the SC should be composed of a minimum of one and a maximum of four governments from each of the four regions (Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe). As all regions already meet the minimum balance required, the maximum possible allocation of the three open seats is as follows: up to two from Africa; up to two from Americas; up to three from Asia-Pacific; and up to one from Europe.

Timeline for the 2025 Government Elections