Minimal demokrasinin ötesine geçmek: Türkiye, Meksika ve Filipinler'in sağlamlaşmamış demokrasilerindeki reform olaylarının kıyaslamalı analizi

This study seeks to provide a generalizable explanation about democratic reform processes in countries where democratic deepening and consolidation could not be achieved despite a long term experience of minimal democracy. In some countries, although the multiparty elections have become the norm for the incumbent change, several democratic deficiencies which impede effective, free and fair representation and/or participation persist. As a result, the electoral democracy could not transform into a consolidated liberal democracy for decades. Inspired by Capoccia and Ziblatt's (2010) analytical and methodological framework for a historically minded approach to the comparative study of democratization, this study offers an inductive explanation for democratic reforms in minimal democracies, based on the comparative historical analysis of both successful and failed reform initiatives in three protracted democratization cases -i.e. Turkey, Mexico and the Philippines. The findings of the research suggest that a cohesive discourse -to politically justify the institutional change and win over the potential opponents and veto players- is necessary for the implementation of a reform agenda, after a window of opportunity opens.