I'll remind the RW nutters about 1989 in Eastern Europe. It can happen very suddenly. I would love a Romania situation but perhaps Democracy might take longer.
Revolutions of 1989 - Wikipedia
10 Years (Poland): The Solidarity movement, challenging communist rule, began in 1980, leading to semi-free elections and the first non-communist government in 1989.
10 Months (Hungary): Hungary opened its border with Austria in May 1989, allowing East Germans to escape, and held its first free elections in October, dismantling its communist system rapidly.
10 Weeks (East Germany): Mass protests (the "Peaceful Revolution") grew through the autumn of 1989, culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th, ending the GDR's regime.
10 Days (Czechoslovakia): The Velvet Revolution, starting with student protests on November 17, 1989, led to the swift, non-violent resignation of the Communist government by late November.
This is an excellent documentary about 1989