Popular uprisings, protests and unconstitutional regime changes are common characteristics of political change and political life in Africa. The decade 2011–2021 has seen a wave of popular uprisings slamming against the bedrock of long-established autocratic regimes.
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Thailand’s constitution was made in 2017 by the military junta government. Although it was approved by referendum, the 2017 Constitution remains highly unpopular due to its origin. Constitutional reform was a central issue during the tightly contested 2023 elections, in which an unprecedented voter turnout demonstrated strong support for democratic and progressive parties. The same demand, of amending the 2017 Constitution, was repeated throughout the 2020-2021 mass protest movement.
La constitución de Tailandia fue redactada en 2017 por el gobierno de la junta militar. Aunque fue aprobada mediante referéndum, la Constitución de 2017 sigue siendo muy impopular debido a su origen. La reforma constitucional fue un tema central durante las reñidas elecciones de 2023, en las que una participación electoral sin precedentes demostró un fuerte apoyo a los partidos democráticos y progresistas.
As new political developments come to light in Thailand, the spotlight is again on the intricate relationship between money and politics in the country. The 2023 General Elections were watched closely not only for their outcomes but also for the way campaigns were funded and conducted.
Thailand has made several efforts to reform key aspects of its political finance system, including regulations relating to funding for political parties and election campaigns. Yet, several challenges remain that merit constant improvements and innovation to regulate political finance and put appropriate systems and processes in place to ensure enforcement.
Constitution-building has become an increasingly common activity as countries seek to improve their state apparatus or make political transitions to realize national goals and address current challenges.
While many countries have addressed political party finance constitutionally, such provisions are usually phrased in general terms, leaving the details to law and to the regulations promulgated by enforcement agencies.
Legal reforms to political party finance systems are not a panacea: but when written and implemented well, the legal framework can help address significant challenges that face political party systems.
Internal pressures and advocacy for change have raised awareness and precipitated debates about the nature and need for reform processes in many Arab countries.
Such debates have drawn in a diverse range of groups articulating interests and defining their own political programmes. In this context, electoral processes, women's participation and political parties have emerged as central issues in political reform agendas in the Arab world.
In recent years, the debate about lowering the voting age has intensified in many countries. Typically, young people around the world can head to the polls between 16 and 18 years of age, although some nations like Singapore and Taiwan set the age at 21 and 20, respectively.