ABSTRACT
This chapter presents four potential explanations are elaborated for the behaviour of RIOs in cases where democracy is under threat in a member state. Next, the validity of these explanations is explored investigating SADC and ASEAN, two RIOs which have, on occasion, intervened and, on other occasions, refrained from intervention. The chapter shows that political leaders not only 'boost' their own regime but also the domestic regimes of fellow member states. In order to explore the value of this argument, it assesses the strength of the regional democratic identity based on the founding documents of the RIO and on the member states' democracy ratings. The chapter investigates possible explanations for SADC decisions concerning non-intervention. In RIOs with a stronger democratic identity than that of the SADC and ASEAN, the author may expect the promotion and preservation of democracy to occupy a more prominent place, and to become part of the hegemonic interest.
