Election Study Center, NCCU

 This year political situation in Southeast Asia changed a lot. The king of Thailand passed away while , but the military still in charge, and Rodrigo Roa Duterte won the Philippine presidential election. To understand more about the state of democracy in Southeast Asia, Election Study Center and Institute of International Relations invited Professor Allen Hicken from University of Michigan to give a speech on the review and prospect of democracy in Southeast Asia. 

Hicken said, good parties, good voters and good politicians are needed in order to have an effective democracy.

Hicken pointed out corruption in Southeast Asia remains serious. Comparing  the indicators in 1976 to where we are today, however, Tthe average level of democracy is higher. Hicken remains optimistic about Southeast Asia’s democracy development.