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Report, Real Democratization in Cambodia? An Empirical Review of the Potential of a Decentralization Reform, by Joakim Öjendal & Kim Sedara

News: Aug 16, 2011

The UN-led intervention in Cambodia in 1992/93 could not in itself achieve transition to democracy; at best it could lay the institutional foundations. In the process of democratizing Cambodia has had major impediments to overcome in terms of its political culture, its violent recent history and its institutional limitations. The ongoing decentralization reform - including inter alia local elections, invention by appropriate state institutions and popular participation - is expected to achieve both reconstruction and democratization, but the outcome is far from certain. This article investigates popular perceptions of the evolving decentralization reform and the views of representatives of the commune authorities. The aim is to empirically analyze some of the key dimensions of this reform, namely its role in post-conflict reconstruction, local democratization and local development. In line with other research – our results suggest that the country is moving towards agreement that the decentralization reform has brought improvements in the quality of local governance; there is broad appreciation, greater democratic space, improved commune administration performance and increased accountability. Decentralization reform in Cambodia has so far triggered two distinct macro processes. Firstly, it has opened up political space in a benevolent and democratic way. This has facilitated the growth of a (more) positive relationship between civil society and the local state, reduced the governance gap and enhanced the legitimacy of the local state. Secondly, it has reconnected the local and the central state apparatus since the local state has acquired a central role in a bold public sector reform that attracts attention and some financial resources.

Published: ICLD 2011

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