The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Democratization and electoral turnovers in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond

På svenska

Author

  • Michael Wahman

Summary, in English

This study criticizes approaches equating opposition electoral victories with democratization in competitive authoritarian regimes. Not only are these approaches theoretically problematic, but there are also important empirical reasons to distinguish between electoral turnovers and democratization. The study goes on to explain why some African turnovers have been successful in bringing about democratization while others have not. This study promotes an approach in which opposition victories may be used as an independent variable that, under certain circumstances, could promote democratization. Using evidence from the cases of Senegal, Ghana, and Kenya, it is argued that electoral uncertainty caused by a low level of party institutionalization has been an important obstacle to democratization by alternation in the African context.

Publishing year

2014

Language

English

Pages

220-243

Publication/Series

Democratization

Volume

21

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Topic

  • Political Science

Keywords

  • Africa
  • turnovers
  • Kenya
  • Senegal
  • Ghana
  • institutionalization
  • parties
  • elections

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1351-0347