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Africa: the Exhaustion of Electoral Democracy against the Resurgence of Presidential Third Termism and beyond?

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Bibliographic Details
Summary:In the post 1990s era of multiparty democracy in Africa, concerted attempts towards power retention by incumbents through ‘Third-termism’ has presented the most daunting challenge. Employing the development theory of testing case studies, this article examines progress made on the continent since the adoption of competitive multiparty democracy since the 1990s. Citing democratic stagnation in Togo, Gabon, Cameroon and other related states, the research reveals that sitting regimes have mastered the art of undertaking constitutionalelectoral processes without changing the outcome. This is a phenomenon that appears to have escaped the attention of researchers and analysts. Theconclusion drawn is that, the quest for ‘Third-terms extending periods in power by long-serving incumbents and some surviving siblings has become thesyndrome that reflects the embedded deep states which are immune to electoral challenge for the foreseeable future.
Main Authors:Rupiya, Martin Revayi
Year:2020
Country:Portugal
Document type:article
Access type:unknown
Associated institution:Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto
Language:Portuguese
Origin:Africana Studia
Description
Summary:In the post 1990s era of multiparty democracy in Africa, concerted attempts towards power retention by incumbents through ‘Third-termism’ has presented the most daunting challenge. Employing the development theory of testing case studies, this article examines progress made on the continent since the adoption of competitive multiparty democracy since the 1990s. Citing democratic stagnation in Togo, Gabon, Cameroon and other related states, the research reveals that sitting regimes have mastered the art of undertaking constitutionalelectoral processes without changing the outcome. This is a phenomenon that appears to have escaped the attention of researchers and analysts. Theconclusion drawn is that, the quest for ‘Third-terms extending periods in power by long-serving incumbents and some surviving siblings has become thesyndrome that reflects the embedded deep states which are immune to electoral challenge for the foreseeable future.

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