Babacar GUÈYE - Democracy in Africa : Progress and Resistance

Pouvoirs n°129 - avril 2009 - La démocratie en Afrique - p.5-26

Since the beginning of the 1990s, Africa has experienced a new phase of democratic transition. In most African countries this process has led to the adoption of new constitutions, establishing a democratic system whose fundamental features are the acceptance of pluralism, of political opposition and the guarantee of fundamental rights and liberties. This democratic renewal has also been characterized by the gradual establishment of the rule of law and the organization of competitive elections opening the way to a real political alternative in several countries. Significant progress has been made in numerous African countries, yet there are still many obstacles. There have been ill-prepared or rigged elections which have led to violence and have put a halt to the democratic process and the dialogue between the different political actors. In order to stay in power, certain heads of State have modified the constitution or misused some institutions (notably the Parliament), thereby calling into question the principle of the separation of powers. In addition, the persistence of armed conflicts and the resurgence of coups d’état in certain countries have undermined the democratic transition. Résumé

Référence électonique : Babacar GUÈYE, "Democracy in Africa : Progress and Resistance", Pouvoirs, revue française d’études constitutionnelles et politiques, n°129, 2009, p.5-26. Consulté le 01-06-2012. URL : http://www.revue-pouvoirs.fr/Democracy-in-Africa-Progress-and.html