The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the promotion of democratic governance in Central Asia: a critical appraisal

Abstract

Central Asian regimes have effectively maintained autocratic systems and have been rather impervious to western policies of democratisation. This paper takes a critical reading of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s (PA) role in promoting democratic governance in Central Asia, arguing that there are two main reasons for the institution’s limited successes in the region, namely the very nature of the International Parliamentary Institutions, which have limited ability to activate political influence at the governmental level; and the inability of the OSCE PA to develop more active networks with transnational civil society to enhance transparency and participation in Central Asia.