What do citizens want out of democracy?

Why does democracy matter so much, what do people most want out of it and what are the potential threats in a development context? Devex Associate Editor Richard Jones asks International IDEA Secretary-General Yves Leterme in this video interview.

By // 09 December 2014

For people who want to be empowered and become part of the decision-making process in politics, democracy is the only way to go — but why?

Democracies work because they give people the voice and the platform they need to carve out and establish the means to advance their own development as well as elect leaders and make them accountable, Yves Leterme, secretary-general of the International IDEA, the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, told Devex Associate Editor Richard Jones in this video interview in the Mokolodi National Park in advance of the Annual Democracy Forum 2014 in Gaborone, Botswana.

Examining democracy and how it works for a country’s development process in a multidimensional perspective, he added, is crucial because there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to democracy and development.

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About the author

  • Lean Alfred Santos

    Lean Alfred Santos

    Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.

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