democratic transition
Shift toward elections
Democratic transition is the shift from authoritarian rule to democratic governance—typically involving free elections, constitutional reforms, and the establishment of civil liberties.
The term describes both the process and the period: Spain's democratic transition after Franco, the democratic transitions of Eastern Europe in the 1990s.
Transitions may be gradual or sudden, peaceful or turbulent, successful or stalled.
- presidentElected leader of nation
- electoral systemsRules governing elections
- truth commissionPanel investigating past atrocities
- grassroots movementsCitizen-led collective action
- constitutional reformAltering fundamental governing documents
rule of law · checks and balances · parliamentary systems · political instability · Nelson Mandela · new constitution · human rights advocacy · media freedom · regime change · Arab Spring · civil society · judiciary · elections · peaceful transfer · political parties · voting · ballot box · social cohesion
- democracyvote, voting, election, elections, ballot
- Eastern EuropePoland, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria
- PortugalLisbon, Porto, Algarve, Oporto, Madeira
- MyanmarMyanmar, Burmese, Mandalay, Theravada Buddhism, pagodas
- 1989 RevolutionsVelvet Revolution, Berlin Wall fall, Singing Revolution, Walesa, Iron Curtain
- CzechoslovakiaPrague, Bratislava, Bohemia, Slovakia, Moravia
democratic transitioncoup
Abrupt seizure of power
military coup · coup d'état · putsch · palace coup · insurrection