With national elections due to be held in Papua New Guinea in 2017, this session will review key election issues and challenges and the broader state of democracy in Papua New Guinea. There can be no doubt that the elections will occur in a highly charged political environment and in the context of a fading economic boom. What will this mean for electoral competition and political stability? How are election preparations shaping up? Where are the risks and opportunities, and why should we care? Our speakers will reflect on the state of democracy in Papua New Guinea, drawing upon experiences as citizens, candidates and as a Member of Parliament. They will interrogate the manner in which the courts have sought to address corrupt election practices and extent to which recent court decisions have served to strengthen or weaken democracy in Papua New Guinea.