Ballots After Revolutions: Five Lessons

When governments fail to deliver stability, prosperity and dignity, public frustration can swell into mass protest. At times, that protest matures into revolution, toppling even the most entrenched regimes. Yet the true test comes afterwards: whether elections held in the wake of upheaval can translate popular energy into durable democratic governance. The recent experiences of five countries illustrate how varied — and fragile — that transition can be.

Sri Lanka: From Economic Collapse to Electoral Reset

In 2022, Sri Lanka endured its gravest economic crisis since independence. Foreign reserves dwindled to near zero, inflation soared beyond 70 per cent at its peak, and shortages of fuel, medicine and basic commodities paralysed daily life. The “Aragalaya” protest movement forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country in July 2022, images of demonstrators occupying the presidential residence circulating worldwide.

Two years later, voters sought a fresh mandate. In the 2024 presidential election, left-leaning leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake secured victory, while his coalition, National People’s Power, emerged as a dominant parliamentary force. Backed by an International Monetary Fund recovery programme, the new administration pledged fiscal reform, anti-corruption measures and social protection. Since then, Sri Lanka has regained a degree of macroeconomic stability, though living costs remain high and structural vulnerabilities persist.

Tunisia: The Fading Glow of the Jasmine Revolution

The 2010–11 uprising in Tunisia ignited what became known as the Arab Spring. After 23 years in power, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled on 14 January 2011. Later that year, Tunisians voted in their first genuinely competitive election to form a constituent assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution.

Although Tunisia was initially hailed as the Arab Spring’s lone democratic success, persistent economic stagnation, unemployment and political fragmentation eroded public confidence. Subsequent constitutional changes and the consolidation of executive authority have led many observers to argue that the revolutionary promise has dimmed, with democratic institutions weakened rather than strengthened.

Egypt: A Brief Democratic Interlude

Inspired by events in Tunisia, Egyptians took to the streets in 2011, compelling President Hosni Mubarak to resign after nearly 30 years in office. Parliamentary elections in 2011–12 delivered over 70 per cent of seats to Islamist parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood. In 2012, Mohamed Morsi became Egypt’s first democratically elected civilian president.

However, political polarisation and economic strain culminated in a 2013 military intervention. General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi assumed power, marking a return to military-backed rule. Egypt’s democratic experiment had lasted scarcely a year.

Ukraine: The Orange Legacy

The 2004 presidential election in Ukraine triggered the Orange Revolution, after allegations of electoral fraud favoured Viktor Yanukovych over pro-European candidate Viktor Yushchenko. Following weeks of mass protest, the Supreme Court annulled the result and ordered a re-run, which Yushchenko won.

While the revolution strengthened civil society and electoral oversight, it also deepened geopolitical divisions between Russia and the European Union — tensions that have profoundly shaped Ukraine’s subsequent trajectory.

Georgia: Roses and Reversals

In 2003, allegations of vote rigging sparked Georgia’s peaceful Rose Revolution. Opposition leader Mikheil Saakashvili swept to power in 2004 with an overwhelming majority, promising sweeping reforms and anti-corruption drives.

Although early reforms modernised state institutions and curbed petty corruption, critics later accused Saakashvili’s administration of centralising authority. Political alternation through elections did eventually occur, yet stability has remained uneven.

Comparative Overview

These five cases underscore a sobering truth: revolutions may remove leaders, but they do not automatically secure accountable governance. Elections can legitimise new beginnings, yet without resilient institutions, economic reform and political compromise, revolutionary optimism can quickly give way to renewed instability.