What are different potential dangers and penalties?
Ms Dasgupta anticipates that incumbents will stay in energy throughout the vast majority of this 12 months’s elections.
However this pro-incumbency pattern additionally highlights weak democratic norms in lots of Asia’s elections, the place opposition events face excessive hurdles to gaining energy.
Examples embrace Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“Such nations have witnessed an erosion in democratic values and selections, typically by way of the numerical decimation of the opposition, or delays in holding elections, or curbing of mass protests with violence,” she stated.
“This dangers weighing on long-term institutional energy, even when it delivers continuity and stability within the close to time period.”
Dr Chong stated that in locations the place democracy is much less consolidated, there may be the chance of long-standing authoritarians not accepting election outcomes the place they carry out beneath their expectations.
“Dissatisfied autocrats might then mobilise in opposition to the election outcomes, creating circumstances for political instability,” he stated. “Conditions the place numerous voters imagine an election is stolen might additionally result in unrest.”
The affiliate professor additionally stated that restricted media literacy in addition to political and civic schooling stay considerations all through the world.
“Overly managed or distorted media environments is one other problem, since free and honest elections rely on the supply of high quality data on which voters could make their selections,” stated Dr Chong.
“These circumstances make it simpler for election-related mis- and disinformation to take root.
“In elements of Asia the place there may be restricted transparency and restraint over authority, unfair elections are a danger, as is election fraud on the extra excessive finish of the spectrum,” he added.
“There’s additionally the hazard of elite seize whether or not by highly effective curiosity teams, like sure companies, or international actors.”
