In the 1990s and early 2000s, Southeast Asia seemed to offer a model for democratization for other developing countries. But today the region is a long way from that promising period, with the state of democracy in dire shape. It seemed by 2020 that things couldn’t get worse. And yet, in the past few years, they have.
Just over a year ago, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office, marking a stunning comeback for his family’s notorious dynasty and triggering concerns among opposition figures and many foreign observers. But over his first year in office, Marcos has embraced a politics of prudence, adopting a traditional policy outlook.
In April, Indonesian security forces engaged in a shootout with Islamist militants belonging to Jemaah Islamiyah, the group that carried out the 2002 Bali bombings. Though Indonesia has had success in combating homegrown terror groups, it still faces an uphill task in keeping Jemaah Islamiyah—and the ISIS-affiliated JAD—at bay.
