In 2013 many observers pointed out the challenges faced by democracy around the world.

During the year, democratic transitions stalled or even reversed, electoral violence erupted, and a lack of citizen confidence in democracy and its capacity to deliver was in evidence. At the same time, however, democracy retained its universal appeal as a value aspired to by people everywhere.

Clearly, democracy is not perfect, and there is no one model of democracy that can be applied everywhere. Democracy is, rather, a political system that must continue to evolve to remain sustainable and meet the many and complex challenges it is faced with.