On 25 March International IDEA and Les Petits Matins launched the French edition of Democratic Transitions: Conversations with World Leaders at an event at the residence of the Belgian Ambassador in Paris.
Transitions démocratiques: Conversations avec des chefs d’État is the fourth translation of Democratic Transitions to be published, following releases of the Myanmar, Spanish and Dutch editions earlier this year.
The launch event consisted of a panel discussion featuring International IDEA Secretary-General Yves Leterme; Bassma Kodmani, a member of the Syrian opposition, a negotiator at the Syria peace negotiations in Geneva and a member of the International IDEA Board of Advisers; and Cécile Duflot, a member of the Assemblée nationale and a former French Government minister.
The panel was introduced and moderated by Nicolas Tenzer, Director of the Centre de Recherche et d’Action pour la Paix (CERAP), a French foreign-policy think tank.
After a welcome speech by the Belgian Ambassador, Vincent Mertens, Nicolas Tenzer opened the panel discussion, praising the book as a unique and practical insight into democratic transitions worldwide. He noted that transitions are a difficult process everywhere, and that democracy is not something that is culturally defined or geographically restricted.
Yves Leterme explained the mission and the work of International IDEA, then summarized the book by quoting and elaborating on the 10 lessons of democratic transitions outlined by the book’s co-editors, Sergio Bitar and Abraham F. Lowenthal in their concluding chapter (available for free download from the International IDEA website).
Bassma Kodmani focused on Syria and the current state of the peace negotiations. Referring to the lessons outlined by Yves Leterme, she made some interesting comparisons with the Syrian case. The most important lesson for her was the need to be cautious when it came to the involvement of security forces in democratic transitions. She pointed out that the Syrian opposition didn’t want to make the same mistake as was made in Iraq, where the army was dissolved in 2003. The result of this disastrous decision, she observed, was the creation of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) by former generals of the Iraqi Army.
Cécile Duflot concluded the panel discussion with some important remarks about the need for the West to support people who are risking their lives for freedom and democracy. If the West keeps on supporting dictators, he argued, this would further undermine its credibility. More importantly, Western double standards will undermine the cause of democracy as a whole.
Transitions démocratiques: Conversations avec des chefs d’État is published by Les Petits Matins. Copies of the book can be ordered from the publisher. Read more about the various editions of Democratic Transitions: Conversations with World Leaders on the International IDEA website.
