Electorally competitive countries are not necessarily democratic: some do not fully control the state's territory; others violate both their constitutions and human rights. But electoral competitiveness is always a necessary condition for democracy - and therefore a central consideration when evaluating a country's prospects for democratization.
具备选举竞争力的国家不一定拥有民主：有些不能完全控制国家的领土，还有些侵犯了本国的宪法和人权。但选举竞争力永远是民族的必要条件¾因此也是评价某国民主化前景的中心因素。