The African Union's response to recent coups, particularly the lack of strong condemnation of coup leaders running for office, raises questions about its commitment to democratic principles.
African Heads of State pose for a group photograph before the opening ceremony of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa on February 17, 2024. (Photo by Michele Spatari / AFP)The new constitution is expected to provide the basis for the conduct of elections that will replace the military government with an elected one in 2025.
Under existing African Union frameworks on unconstitutional changes of government, coup leaders are not allowed to run in the elections marking the formal end of governments installed by coups. This is so as not to reward coup leaders. It’s also to ensure that the military leaders are impartial enablers of democratic competition, rather than active participants. The leader of the recent coup, , has not clarified his future. However, he is widely expected to run for president. He’d be more powerful under the new constitution. The African Union Commission’s statement does not include a reminder or an encouragement that the coup leader should not run for election. Nor has it criticised the overthrown . with over 20 elections, was no exception. The AU’s actions and omissions in 2024 continued the pattern of limited advance, even regression, in pursuing its ambition of building a democratic, peaceful and . This implied the union would not turn a blind eye to how governments treat their citizens, and principles of democratic constitutionalism. In practice, the record of democracy on the continent and the role of the African Union in this has flowed and ebbed. The union has arguably done a commendable job in promoting democratic and legitimate governmen
AFRICA AFRICAN UNION COUP DEMOCRACY ELECTION
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