Transition to democracy. Constitutions of the New Independent States and Mongolia

Recent publications from the Council of Europe:
Transition to democracy. Constitutions of the New Independent States and Mongolia:
The disintegration of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) created in its wake a group of twelve countries now referred to as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Each of these republics, many of them artificially created during the Soviet period, has now acquired all the attributes of an independent state such as a flag, a national anthem, a crest and, above all, a constitution to organise state power within society.

This volume brings together the constitutions of the twelve members of the CIS and includes Mongolia, because of its former close ties with the USSR. From a historical and political point of view, these texts are of interest within the context of their recent history and as tools to strengthen existing national sentiment within countries which are often not homogeneous nations.

This volume, with an introduction and detailed chronology of the events which led to the adoption of these constitutions, gives much food for thought on the meaning of democracy.

Council of Europe
Transition to democracy. Constitutions of the New Independent States and Mongolia
Council of Europe, 1997
ISBN: 92-871-3356-5
Price: 150.00 FFr / $38.00