Democracies must deliver tangible improvements to citizen’s lives if they are to retain popular support.
But Ukraine’s populist politicians are failing to make the reforms necessary to consolidate the gains of the Orange Revolution and prevent a relapse to authoritarian rule, according to Marc Schleifer and Aleksandr Shkolnikov of the Center for International Private Enterprise.
A recent survey shows that of the post-communist states of Central and Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union, Ukraine has the highest proportion of citizens – 47 percent – that disapproves of the transition from a state-controlled to a market economy and who disapprove – 55 percent – of the shift to multi-party democracy. Some 69 percent of the population is willing to support a strong leader rather than democratic institutions.
Ukrainian reformers “should take advantage of the opportunity to develop a path to lasting transitions based on the experiences of their successful Eastern European neighbors,” they conclude.
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