Once the excitement and emotions of the election are over, once the winner is known, the challenge of governing between elections comes to the fore. The recent U.S. Presidential election – so closely followed around the world – illustrates that indeed when it’s all over, it’s just begun. When the new leadership is selected, that is only a start of making democracy work from day to day.
A common danger on the day after an important election in any democratic country is the level of expectations for immediate change that voters tend to have. That is especially true in times of economic crisis. Yet no one can single-handedly turn the economy around and the time horizon for even the best reforms to take effect can be months if not years.
Democracy is as much about the process as about results. It can only deliver if citizens maintain their engagement in policymaking beyond just casting their votes and if they help to define and implement policy approaches that work.
Published Date: November 06, 2008