Calling it a “setback to democracy”, he said there was no single explanation for the phenomenon despite the clear attempt to “swing the pendulum back” in countries that once had authoritarian regimes.
“There are growing doubts about the necessity and merits of democracy,” he said.
“If this trend gains momentum, it is possible that we will see the reversal of democratic expansion that we have seen in recent decades,” he added
Susilo said a lot of democracies were in distress, even in serious disarray.
“The latest countries to join democratic transitions – the so-called Arab Spring countries — are still struggling to achieve stability, unity and growth. Extremism and internal conflicts are still problematic,” he said
“Some established democracies are experiencing economic gloom. Low confidence in leadership is commonplace, and in some democracies, restlessness has replaced national self-esteem.”
Susilo, a former army general who was elected to rule over Indonesia from 2004 to 2014, said this in his keynote speech at a two-day conference on “Democracy in Southeast Asia: Achievements, Challenges, Prospects” organised by the Kofi Annan Foundation and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
Also present was former Belgian prime minister Yves Leterme, who is secretary-general of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
Susilo also identified the rise of populism as another problem affecting many countries.
“A populist leader may try earning his political stock by going the extra mile to deliver public services, to please his constituents,” he said.
“In this way, this ‘positive’ populism is a good thing. But a populist leader may also appeal to the dark side of power by committing short-sighted acts that would excite the people but harm democracy and human rights.”
He said many leaders were seeing “shallow populism” as a shortcut to office while leaders who said and stood for the “right thing” were in danger of losing office.
He also said political leaders should find a balance between governing power and freedom.
While there should be ample space for freedom to grow as it was essential, he said too much of it might cause infringement in good governance.
He said Indonesia’s rise as a democracy, especially after the “Reformasi” movement of the late 1990s, was fraught with disarray but it managed to weather through due to the commitment of civil society.
“There were times in the beginning when the political elite was in disarray, and the government did not function well due to lack of leadership,” he said.
“During this time, the ship kept afloat because many NGOs and civil society elements fought to preserve our fragile democracy,” he added.
“They championed the reforms, they defended the new freedoms, they pushed for progressive laws, and they helped to convince the public of the merit of democracy.”
Susilo to launch Suhakam forum on democracy in Southeast Asia