Analysis and Policy

The European Union and democracy building in Southeast Asia

Excerpt from the regional chapter

This chapter examines the main challenges for democracy building in Southeast Asia, and the manner in which the present role of the European Union (EU) is perceived. Policy proposals and recommendations for consideration by the EU are presented with a view to addressing the gap between policy intentions and Southeast Asian perceptions of the EU’s ambitions in promoting democracy building. The chapter is based on consultations and research on the EU’s role in democracy building in Southeast Asia, as initiated and conducted by International IDEA during 2008 and 2009.

With the exception of Thailand, all the states in Southeast Asia are post-colonial states. Their different trajectories to independence, ranging from revolutionary wars to peaceful de-colonization, combined with a long history and diverse cultural traits give rise to a region characterized by enormous diversity. By the mid-1970s, most Southeast Asian countries had opted for some form of developmental authoritarian regime, preferring to privilege economic development and political stability at the expense of democracy. Decades of successful economic development paved the way for democracy to re-enter the region by the late 1980s. The influence of this democratic wave, however, was not even.

Economic disparity as a demonstration of the lack of economic development is often used to justify resistance to the introduction of democracy by authoritarian or semi-authoritarian regimes in the region. Adverse internal conditions have in turn created an atmosphere that is suspicious of external interference among states in the region. Consequently, all ASEAN states – albeit to varying degrees – jealously guard the principle of non-interference as a principal norm in inter-state relations.

The move towards democracy in Indonesia in May 1998, which followed the examples of the Philippines in 1986 and Thailand in 1992, provides regional champions and further consolidates the notion that Southeast Asia is not hostile to the idea of democracy. The improved prospects for democracy in Southeast Asia are often associated with recently concluded agreements by ASEAN countries, especially the ASEAN Concord II, the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Political and Security Community Blueprint. The existence of a vibrant civil society and vibrant non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which work primarily to promote democracy and human rights in the region is also a positive development.

Among Southeast Asian states, there is a degree of ambivalence in their perception of the importance or significance of the EU in the region. The EU is perceived as an important actor in economic terms in global and regional theatres, including Southeast Asia. However, it is also seen as geographically, historically, militarily and politically distant. The policy suggestions generated by the International IDEA consultation process seek to narrow the gap between the EU’s objectives and its implementation; and to enhance the effectiveness of the EU’s role in assisting the democracy building process in the region. Despite regional perceptions that the EU has only limited political influence in the region, there is a recognition that the EU is equipped with both the capacity and the resources to play a much more active and visible role in the future. That, however, would require a willingness on the part of the EU to fully engage with Southeast Asia in a constructive manner and as an equal partner.