Democracy and Governance Review : Mandela's Legacy 1994-1999

Authoritarian regimes of various sorts have crumbled worldwide to give way to liberal constitutional democracies. Prerequisites for the consolidation of the new democracies are regular free and fair elections, granting political parties legitimate authority and citizens protection by the rule of law. Participation in regular free and fair elections requires a robust civil society that is keen to protect individual freedoms and equality before the law and preserve diverse interests and a rich associational life.