Asia seminar sheds light on different dimensions of democratic transitions

On 21-22 March 2016, the Mongolian Government hosted a seminar on “Democratic Transitions in Asia: Lessons Learned from Transitional Elections”. The seminar hosted participants from 10 Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Timor Leste, who shared their first-hand experiences of different types of transitions. The seminar focused on different dimensions of democratic transitions, including the timing of elections, voter education, campaign conditions and the importance of the election “after”. International IDEA’s Regional Director for Asia Pacific Leena Rikkila Tamang moderated sessions on the role of the media and voter education. 

The seminar was opened by Mongolia’s State Secretary for Justice, Bagartsetseg and International IDEA Secretary-General Yves Leterme. State Secretary Bagartsetseg referred to the democratic transition of Mongolia, while Leterme provided an overview of lessons learned from democratic transitions around the world, documented in International IDEA’s publication on Democratic Transitions: Conversations with World Leaders, published by Johns Hopkins University Press. The book presents personal reflections of 13 former presidents from nine countries. Each of these leaders played a key role in political processes that resulted in the end of authoritarian rule, and a transition to democracy. The book draws a number of lessons from successful transitions to democracy that may be of value to countries that have undergone or are undergoing similar changes.

Following the seminar, the delegates of the conference had a meeting with the President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj and the Mongolian Minister of Foreign Affairs Purevsuren. The President shared Mongolian experiences and said that “Mongolia is well placed to bring Central and other Asian countries together, given its neutrality and aim to share, not to teach, what Mongolia has done right and what were the mistakes to learn from.” He also put great emphasis on citizen participation as a balancing factor in consolidating democracy; “we cannot make everyone happy but we need to protect everyone’s right to express their discontent”.