Contesting the Anti-Coup Norm: ASEAN Responds to the

and the EU moved quickly to place sanctions on the new military regime in Myanmar, and several regional leaders called for the return to civilian rule.5 However, international pressure on the new authorities was tempered by the actions of several influential countries that sought to minimize the severity of the coup and took steps to shore up rather than force out the military junta. [...] The Rise and Stall of the Anti-Coup Norm The interplay between norm promoters, resisters, and waverers can clearly be seen in the case of the anti-coup norm, which emerged and strengthened after the end of the Cold War. [...] In the next section, we examine how norm promoters, resisters, and waverers responded to the Myanmar coup of 2021, and how the nature of norm contestation between them illustrates the promise and limitations of one of the most prominent democracy norms of the post-Cold War era. [...] China and Russia both blocked the UN Security Council from taking action on both the 1st and 30th of April and cautioned against the use of strong condemnation of the new regime within the UNSC press releases from these meetings.47 Rather the two regimes released a joint statement that voiced concerns over the ongoing violence and called for a domestic solution to the crisis.48 Though the 44 Nikke. [...] The statement acknowledged “the importance of upholding the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter,” but pointed to the implications of the situation for “regional security as well as the unity, credibility and centrality of ASEAN as a rules-based organisation.”62 Several ASEAN member states made similar statements at the time, making clear that much of the concern within the organization was w.