Commitment Problems in Emerging Democracies: The Case of Religious Parties

Democracy opens the political process to actors who are opposed to it. When powerful religious parties are set to win critical elections in emerging democracies, the future of new and fragile secular and liberal democratic institutions is put in question.l These parties either intend to impose theocratic authoritarian institutions or are willing to forego their objectives and subject themselves to democratic control. In the first case the outcome is certain: democratization fails, either through the full implementation of the religious party's program or through preemptive or reactive military action by its opponents. In the second case the outcome is uncertain: democratization may fail, but it may also succeed. This article explores the second case.