Democracy is basically considered to be the most important aspect of constitutions. Still, democracies all over the world are also facing major difficulties; some for exam-ple are being confronted with antidemocratic and fundamentalist movements. The proceedings feature articles on aspects of traditional democracies like India as well as on new democratic systems where a special focus is laid on the influence of the European democratic concept on states in South Eastern Europe.

In addition to these specific issues of national democratic developments, concepts of democracy at an international level are evolving. Today, supranational and interna-tional organizations attain more and more far reaching powers. The so-called 'de-mocratic deficit' of the EU, WTO or other standard setting bodies beyond the state is more and more evident and has to be challenged.