The year 2023 saw a surge in coups across Africa, raising concerns about the continent's democratic future. Coupled with this, studies suggest a decline in democratic values, particularly among the youth who make up the majority of the population.
At the beginning of the year, Africa was scheduled to have presidential or general elections in 19 (35%) countries. A total of 180 million eligible voters were expected to make their mark. This was a test for democracy and institutional capacity to successfully provide oversight and ensure smooth transitions, given that since 2020 Africa has experienced seven coups. In 2020, there were military coups in Guinea, Burkina Faso and Mali. The following year, Chad’s army came to power.
And in 2023 there were coups in Niger (July), Gabon (September) and a failed coup in Guinea-Bissau (November-December). These coups were supported mostly by the youth. The reasons for the rise of coups in places that had previously embraced multi-party elections include the failure of the governing elites to create an inclusive framework for development, France’s influence on fiscal policy in most of her former colonies and struggling economies. Over the past five years few countries achieved GDP growth higher than 5% and formal sector employment remains a rarity for youths graduating from universities. The number of Africans trying to migrate out of the continent in search of greener pastures is on the rise. Latest data from the By the end of 2023 it seemed as if electoral democracy had come to its premature collapse in Africa. Beyond the coups, several studies were beginning to point towards a waning influence of democracy, especially among the youths. Youths (people under the age of 25) make up 60% of the population, making them the biggest voting cohort
Africa Democracy Coups Youth Elections