Two developing democracies - Thailand and Turkey - are evidently in troubles and the governments in both the countries are grappling with fresh crises that have threatened their rule. Both the nations were striving to strengthen their democracies that are yet not developed to the extent it was expected of them. But it is now somewhat uncertain how long the incumbent governments in Thailand and Turkey would really last.
Prime minister Yingluck Shinewatra's government in Thailand appears to be in tatters and the crisis is deepening, despite the fact that she has wants fresh general elections to take place there on February 02. However, Thailand's Election Commission (EC) last Thursday called for upcoming polls to be delayed and wants inclusive inclusion to take place through meaningful negotiations, leading to a broad agreement among the major political parties for holding the general elections, in the country's deeply fractious polity. This announcement by the Thai EC has dealt fresh blows to the beleaguered government of Yingluck Shinewatra and has pitched the Southeast Asian country into fresh turmoil.
The protest movement by the opposition in Thailand is demanding Ms. Yingluck's leaving office immediately and implementation of electoral reforms, without which they will boycott the elections. The protestors there are demanding the country be led by an unelected council until reforms can be implemented for meaningful participatory elections to take place.
The situation in Turkey is not that serious for the near time, but prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is clearly on a slippery ground, losing aura of invisibility.
But one thing is common to both countries; the protest movement in Thailand regards the Yingluck administration as corrupt and tainted by nepotism and kleptocracy and the government of Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey has also witnessed the emergence of a bribery and corruption scandal that has rocked his administration.
Two nations - Thailand Turkey - have been practising more or less the Westminster type of democracy, but their governments are charged with absence of good governance.
Thailand is badly rattled by the allegations of nepotism and failure of its incumbent government in living up to the expectations of the people. Turkey is encountering the accusations of graft and bribery where the influentials within the party-in-power are ruling the roost.
Whatever be the truth behind such allegations in the two emerging democracies, one harsh truth is undeniable. The peoples of both the countries seem to be largely fed up with the style of governance. They feel it is not what the democracy is expected to deliver and many are getting disillusioned with its present form. But it is certainly not the fault of democracy; but the problem is definitely with those who constitute the ruling authorities, in the name of democracy. And sadly, they are turning a blind eye to the aspirations of the people.
The political situation is particularly volatile in Thailand where the government has earlier agreed to cut short its tenure and called mid-term polls on February 2, next year. But the opposition has rejected the plan and is hell-bent upon demanding the resignation of prime minister. They have announced boycott of the fresh polls, demanding the formation of a "national council", comprising eminent persons from different professions to run the affairs of the nation. The protestors have swelled in their number and threatening the authorities while the powerful army is waiting in the wings. Thailand is well known for its army rule and the possibility of another coup may not be totally ruled out. The armed forces have so far asked the politicians to resolve their problems and in the process have not also ruled out the scope for their intervention.
Prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra won the last elections convincingly in the absence of her elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister. He is now living abroad to avoid the sentence that was awarded to him by the court for corruption when he was in power. Yingluck scored the victory on the coattail of her brother and is often criticized for running the government on the advice of Thaksin from abroad.
She denies the charge, but her government's recent move for granting of pardon to the ex. prime minister to facilitate his return to home has fuelled speculations that it is Thaksin who calls the shot. The opposition seized this opportunity to step up their movement and Yingluck has not been able to convince the urban population there about her distracters in the opposition being wrong. The critics say the billionaire family of the prime minister and her brother takes enormous benefits in trade and commerce. The accusations have now snowballed and it remains to be seen how long the government lasts.
Turkey's Islamist government, an aspirant for membership of the European Union (EU), has earlier modified its policy to make itself appear as being a relatively moderate one. Nevertheless, critics say that the government interferes there in personal matters and an agitation a few months ago against Erdogan government fizzled out because of lack of steam. Now, the charges of graft and bribes against the sons of two influential ministers have rocked the government, amid the allegations that several other key persons are unduly taking advantage in business. The two ministers first resigned and a third minister did later quit, asking the prime minister also to resign. This has aggravated the situation. Driven by the unfolding developments, Recep Tayyip Erdogan was forced to remove ten ministers as the scandal pushed closer to the core of his government.
Against this backdrop, Erdogan opponents in Turkey are keeping the pot boiling. An opposition leader has described the prime minister as a "dictator" under the grab of democracy. Turkey is also known for its military influence. However, the present government has curbed this influence largely, even though it is not known when the army may again seek to raise its voice. The armed in Turkey have, however, ruled out the possibility for any attempt to stage any coup at this stage.
Democracies in several less developing nations like Bangladesh, Nepal and also in Pakistan either have faced or are facing severe problems, too. The erosion of public faith in their elected governments is the main factor for such crises. This is largely because of politicisation of important institutions, including the constitutional bodies, which are otherwise expected to function independently to lend credence to a democratic form of government, more in substance than in form. This has been happening so, over the past many years, irrespective of some periodic changes in political power matrix.
In some cases, holding of credible general elections has become a key problem. The lack of good governance is one of the main reasons for such a perilous condition while corruption, nepotism and apathy towards people's sentiments, are also contributing no less to this situation.
Definitely, it is the representative governments that should govern the people. But what is imperative is institutionalism of arrangements for ensuring good governance through functionaries whose integrity, probity, skill and merit should get the precedence over their individual political inclinations or loyalties, direct or indirect ones. This is essential for a democratic set-up, in its true sense of the term.
   zaglulbss@yahoo.com
Why are \\\'democracies\\\' in Thailand, Turkey in crisis?
Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury | Published: December 29, 2013 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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