Despite the tsunami tragedy, Indonesians at least can look back on the political events of 2004 with pride. Their country successfully held three major elections and produced a legitimate government. Now the main challenge is to secure regular governmental accountability.
About the Author
Muhammad Qodari is deputy executive director of the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), which produced a national poll on voter behavior in the 2004 Indonesian elections. He contributed essays to Indonesia’s Post-Suharto Democracy Movement (2003).
Despite increasing authoritarian tendencies at the national level, there are signs that Nicaragua has been making democratic advances at the local level.
The role of international factors varied greatly across the post-Cold War transitions to democracy, but the intensity and results of external democratizing pressure depended on two variables: linkage to the…