Political participation in post-authoritarian societies represents both a transformative opportunity and a complex challenge in the consolidation of democracy. After the collapse of authoritarian regimes, citizens often experience an initial surge of enthusiasm to engage in political processes that were previously repressed. This participation manifests in various forms, such as voting, joining political parties, organizing protests, and contributing to civic movements. The transition from authoritarianism to democracy thus creates a new political space where individuals, civil society organizations, and emerging political elites attempt to redefine the nature of governance and legitimacy. The nature of political participation in these societies is often shaped by the legacy of authoritarian rule. Decades of centralized control, suppression of dissent, and limited political pluralism leave deep institutional and psychological imprints. Citizens may possess low levels of trust in political institutions, stemming from the manipulation and coercion that characterized the previous regime. Consequently, political participation may initially take on a reactive or mobilizational form, driven by grievances against past injustices rather than stable, institutionalized engagement. In several cases, such as post-Soviet states or Latin American