Critical elements that shape systems of local governance in the South Caucasus region are discussed in this guide to sustainable democracy. The importance of local elections, the strengths and weaknesses of different electoral systems, and citizen participation are among the issues examined in terms of representative and participatory democracy. Public officials and civil society leaders are presented with new options and methods with which to evaluate or rethink their current practices, as well as background on local democracy models currently used throughout the world. Experts in the region use case studies of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Georgia to analyze new local governance systems.
International IDEA is an intergovernmental organization that works to support electoral processes and strengthen democracy. They have produced other publications on the topic of local democracy including Democracy at the Local Level: The International IDEA Handbook on Participation, Representation, Conflict Management and Governance.