Democratic Governance in International Territorial Administration

Book excerpt: This book analyzes in a comparative way how, and to what extent, the constitutional documents governing territories administered by international organizations (the League of Nations, the UN with the OSCE, and the EU) have provided institutional prerequisites for democratic governance. Territories covered are the Free City of Danzig, the Saar Territory, the Territory of Leticia, the City of Jerusalem, the Free Territory of Trieste, the Congo, West Irian, South West Africa/ Namibia, Cambodia, Somalia, the City of Mostar, Eastern Slavonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the District of Brcko, East Timor, and Kosovo. The book begins by discussing problematic issues in international territorial administration, such as evident in the problem of the delineation of the international personality of the territories, the applicability of the concept of democracy, and the enforceability of human rights. It continues by describing the legal framework for democratic governance by delineating the scope of the authority of governance conferred upon international organizations (and/or former states) and local institutions. It applies a framework for democratic governance to the constitutional documents by analyzing to what extent they reflect basic principles of democracy, such as the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary and the principle of popular sovereignty. The documents are also compared as to provision of mechanisms of accountability and judicial review, political rights, and special participation rights for minorities in institutionalized decision-making processes. Finally, the book proposes ways by which governance in territories administered by international organizations can be democratized, such as by an increased transfer of powers and increased possibilities for popular participation in the government of the territory as well as by modifications to the institutional structures governing the territories.