Africa’s Year of Elections Faces a Pernicious Enemy
Voters are growing dissatisfied with democracy that has failed to deliver political freedom and economic prosperity. It's time to reinvest.
A view of a sign in Ghana depicting Nana Kwame Bediako, unveiled as the masked presidential candidate seen on billboards.
Photographer: NIPAH DENNIS/AFPAs far as elections go, 2024 will be the biggest global election year in history. More than 60 countries are slated to stage executive and legislative elections at the national or subnational level or both.
In Africa, 22 countries — including major economies such as South Africa, Senegal and Ghana — are supposed to hold elections this year. Given the varying levels of democratic consolidation in the region, not all of these contests will be meaningful. In some countries, voting will merely serve to rubber-stamp predetermined outcomes. Others will be more genuinely competitive and reflect the will of voters.