Topic analysis

Democracy in Africa: Coups, crises and foregone conclusions

Attitudes toward democracy are shifting across Africa, marked by a wave of military coups in countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Gabon since 2020, ongoing conflicts such as Sudan’s civil war, and concerns over Ethiopia’s recent election (where Tigray was excluded and incumbent Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is expected to win). Experts note that failures of democratic systems to address poverty, inequality, and governance deficits, combined with colonial legacies, have fueled public disillusionment, leading some to support non-democratic rule, while calling for context-specific governance models rooted in local realities.