ASEAN’s Democracy Agenda: Constraints and Opportunities (Cont.)
3) Most ASEAN member states still treat democracy only as a norm. Aggravated by the absence of a mechanism to enforce compliance within ASEAN
4) The political reality in contemporary South East Asia poses a problem for any region-wide attempt to promote democracy.
- The nature of democracy in the region, which is still weak and in the early stages of consolidation, makes it difficult for more democratic ASEAN states to stand on solid ground to serve as exemplars of democracy.