By Osoro Nyawangah
Democracy
in Africa declined last year, mirroring a worrying regression in many parts of
the world, according to an annual report published Wednesday by the Economist
Intelligence Unit (EIU).
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| Long way to go: Hundreds of South Africans stand in line to cast their votes in the sixth general election at the Cottanlands Primary School 45 kilometers north of Durban on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. |
Sub-Saharan Africa is
populated by a large number of “authoritarian regimes” (encompassing half of
the region’s 44 countries scored in the Democracy Index).
Worse still, the region experienced a significant democratic regression in 2019. The overall average regional average score in the Democracy Index fell to 4.26 in 2019, from 4.36 in 2018; 23 countries registered a decline in their scores, which offset marginal improvements in 11.
This is the lowest average score for the continent since 2010, in the aftermath of the global economic and financial crisis, when every region of the world registered a democratic regression in the Democracy Index.
Around the globe, the average score for democracy – rated on a scale of zero to 10 – fell from 5.48 in 2018 to 5.44 in 2019, driven by declines in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, the EIU said.
The Democracy Index for 2019 found that democratic backsliding across the world has led to the worst score since the index was first produced in 2006, with only 5.7 percent of the global population living in what could be considered a "full democracy."
The index assessed 167 countries on the basis of five categories: electoral process and pluralism; the functioning of government; political participation; political culture; and civil liberties.
Most Western European countries were considered full democracies, with Norway scoring the highest worldwide, while most Eastern European nations were considered flawed democracies or "hybrid" regimes.
The U.S. was demoted from a "full democracy" to a "flawed democracy" in 2016.
"If 2016 was notable for the populist insurgency against the status quo in the developed democracies, 2019 was defined in large part by a wave of popular protest in the developing world," said Joan Hoey, the editor of the report, in a statement.
"Both expressed a demand for more popular sovereignty and better political representation and both hold out the potential for a regeneration of democracy."
Africa's average score retreated to 4.26 last year after 4.36 in 2018 to reach its lowest level since the aftermath of the global financial crisis.
Flawed elections are widely to blame, it said.
"More
than 15 African presidents have governed for more than a decade, some of them
since their countries achieved independence," the EIU said.
Regional deterioration was primarily the consequence of declining scores for many countries in the category of electoral process and pluralism; the average regional category score fell to 3.99 (from 4.30 in 2018).
Reasons for this decline vary, but there is a pattern of institutions either being manipulated or not up to the task. Niger and Comoros suffered the most significant declines in this category; both countries administrations’ implemented rules that excluded key opposition figures from standing in presidential elections
"Some of these countries have sought to project an image of democracy without putting in place sufficient institutions or election-monitoring mechanisms to back it up.
"As such, even if held on time, elections do not automatically lead to representative governments."
Among the countries that recorded improvements in their electoral processes were Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar, which held free and fair elections in 2019.
The election score for Guinea Bissau was upgraded because the first round of the presidential election was judged to have been credible, with a run-off election held in late-December producing an opposition candidate who was declared the winner.
Difficulties in governance have long been underpinned by overly centralised policymaking, acquiescent legislatures, a general lack of accountability mechanisms and entrenched corruption—all of which have led to negative public perceptions of governments, political parties and civil servants.
Amplifying these long-standing regional shortcomings, in a number of West African states an intensification of terrorist activity led to a further deterioration in country scores.
Burkina Faso and Mali are becoming increasingly dependent on their former metropole, France, to counter the threat to basic security posed by jihadist networks affiliated with al-Qaeda and Islamic State, which are operating across the Sahel.
The Democracy Index is based on a basket of five factors – civil liberties, political culture, political participation, governance and electoral process – as monitored in 165 states and two territories.
Twenty-three out of 44 African countries saw a worsening in their scores, while 11 saw marginal improvements.
Mauritius is the only sub-Saharan country to be deemed a "full democracy," earning a score of 8.22 out of 10.
Botswana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Ghana, Lesotho and Namibia are behind, in the category "flawed democracies".
Of Africa's other nations, 15 are categorised as "hybrid democracies," which includes Tanzania (5.16 points), Kenya (5.18 points), Nigeria (4.12 point), and 22 "authoritarian."
Bottom of the list is Democratic Republic of Congo, with 1.13 points.
Worldwide, only 76 countries can be considered to be democracies, and of these, just 22 can be considered "full democracies," although this is an increase of two over 2018, the EIU said.
Worse still, the region experienced a significant democratic regression in 2019. The overall average regional average score in the Democracy Index fell to 4.26 in 2019, from 4.36 in 2018; 23 countries registered a decline in their scores, which offset marginal improvements in 11.
This is the lowest average score for the continent since 2010, in the aftermath of the global economic and financial crisis, when every region of the world registered a democratic regression in the Democracy Index.
Around the globe, the average score for democracy – rated on a scale of zero to 10 – fell from 5.48 in 2018 to 5.44 in 2019, driven by declines in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, the EIU said.
The Democracy Index for 2019 found that democratic backsliding across the world has led to the worst score since the index was first produced in 2006, with only 5.7 percent of the global population living in what could be considered a "full democracy."
The index assessed 167 countries on the basis of five categories: electoral process and pluralism; the functioning of government; political participation; political culture; and civil liberties.
Most Western European countries were considered full democracies, with Norway scoring the highest worldwide, while most Eastern European nations were considered flawed democracies or "hybrid" regimes.
The U.S. was demoted from a "full democracy" to a "flawed democracy" in 2016.
"If 2016 was notable for the populist insurgency against the status quo in the developed democracies, 2019 was defined in large part by a wave of popular protest in the developing world," said Joan Hoey, the editor of the report, in a statement.
"Both expressed a demand for more popular sovereignty and better political representation and both hold out the potential for a regeneration of democracy."
Africa's average score retreated to 4.26 last year after 4.36 in 2018 to reach its lowest level since the aftermath of the global financial crisis.
Flawed elections are widely to blame, it said.
 |
| President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has been in power for 34 years. He took office in January 1986 |
Regional deterioration was primarily the consequence of declining scores for many countries in the category of electoral process and pluralism; the average regional category score fell to 3.99 (from 4.30 in 2018).
Reasons for this decline vary, but there is a pattern of institutions either being manipulated or not up to the task. Niger and Comoros suffered the most significant declines in this category; both countries administrations’ implemented rules that excluded key opposition figures from standing in presidential elections
"Some of these countries have sought to project an image of democracy without putting in place sufficient institutions or election-monitoring mechanisms to back it up.
"As such, even if held on time, elections do not automatically lead to representative governments."
Among the countries that recorded improvements in their electoral processes were Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar, which held free and fair elections in 2019.
The election score for Guinea Bissau was upgraded because the first round of the presidential election was judged to have been credible, with a run-off election held in late-December producing an opposition candidate who was declared the winner.
Difficulties in governance have long been underpinned by overly centralised policymaking, acquiescent legislatures, a general lack of accountability mechanisms and entrenched corruption—all of which have led to negative public perceptions of governments, political parties and civil servants.
Amplifying these long-standing regional shortcomings, in a number of West African states an intensification of terrorist activity led to a further deterioration in country scores.
Burkina Faso and Mali are becoming increasingly dependent on their former metropole, France, to counter the threat to basic security posed by jihadist networks affiliated with al-Qaeda and Islamic State, which are operating across the Sahel.
The Democracy Index is based on a basket of five factors – civil liberties, political culture, political participation, governance and electoral process – as monitored in 165 states and two territories.
Twenty-three out of 44 African countries saw a worsening in their scores, while 11 saw marginal improvements.
Mauritius is the only sub-Saharan country to be deemed a "full democracy," earning a score of 8.22 out of 10.
Botswana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Ghana, Lesotho and Namibia are behind, in the category "flawed democracies".
Of Africa's other nations, 15 are categorised as "hybrid democracies," which includes Tanzania (5.16 points), Kenya (5.18 points), Nigeria (4.12 point), and 22 "authoritarian."
Bottom of the list is Democratic Republic of Congo, with 1.13 points.
Worldwide, only 76 countries can be considered to be democracies, and of these, just 22 can be considered "full democracies," although this is an increase of two over 2018, the EIU said.
Fifty-four
countries, accounting for more than a third of the world's population, are
authoritarian, it said. - Africa
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