Joseph Siegle, Candace Cook

The Madagascar 2023 presidential election is a reminder that democracy is far more than just holding elections.

ZANU-PF has held a stranglehold on the presidency since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.

Sierra Leone enters this election season under the strain of heightened economic and political tensions.

The ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) has maintained continuous control over Angolan politics since 1975.

This vulnerability of the Kenyan political process is perpetuated by the organization of political parties around ethnicity and personality rather than ideology.

Somalia’s presidential elections were originally planned for December 2020 but were pushed back for logistical reasons and disputes regarding the oversight process.

President Faustin-Archange Touadéra is seeking a second term in office. His election in 2016 was widely deemed credible. Moreover, political space for opposition groups and media has expanded under Touadéra.

Burkina Faso’s 2020 election will be dominated by the twin themes of security and democratic consolidation. Burkina Faso has experienced a rapid escalation of violent events involving militant Islamist groups in recent years.

A challenge to uphold presidential term limits coupled with unresolved tensions surrounding Côte d’Ivoire’s civil war in 2010 make the 2020 elections a watershed for the country.