Regional sanctions and the struggle for democracy: Introduction to the special issue

Stefano Palestini,Elin Hellquist

doi:10.1177/0192512120968109

Abstract

Regional organisations (ROs) around the world increasingly use sanctions against member states in situations of democratic crisis. This special issue unpacks the trend of RO sanctions in regions that are both democracy-dense (Europe and the Americas) and autocracy-dense (Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East). We argue that regional sanctions cannot be taken at face value as instruments of democracy promotion. Instead, the politics of regional sanctions unveil controversies over the substance and limits of democracy, as well as over practical processes of regional interference in a sphere that is at the core of ‘domestic affairs’. In this introductory article, we situate the special issue at the crossroads of debates within comparative regionalism, sanctions, and democracy/autocracy promotion, and discuss how the membership premise crucially distinguishes RO measures from foreign policy and United Nations (UN) sanctions.

Highlights

In 1992, legal scholar Thomas Franck foresaw that ‘we are going towards a world in which the citizens will look to international law and organisations to guarantee their democratic entitlement’ (1992: 50)
Contrary to the expectations of liberal scholars, regional organisations (ROs) sanctions against member states do not testify to the emergence of a global right – not even a global understanding – of democracy
We focus on regional sanctions that are imposed in situations of democratic crisis

Summary

Introduction

In 1992, legal scholar Thomas Franck foresaw that ‘we are going towards a world in which the citizens will look to international law and organisations to guarantee their democratic entitlement’ (1992: 50). International organisations (IOs) and, regional organisations (ROs) were going to become key democratisers by establishing democracy as a condition of membership and by punishing those states that deviate from democratic rule with sanctions.

Results

Conclusion