- Gabon’s Political Transition Finally Comes to an EndOn 12 April 2025, Gabonese voters will head to the polls to vote in the first set of general elections since the overthrow of ex-President Ali Bongo Ondimba (PDG, centre),…
- ED2030: Mnangagwa’s Term Extension ManeuveringSince entering office after a coup removed longtime leader Robert Mugabe in 2017, Emmerson Mnangagwa’s presidency has been marked by economic struggles, political factionalism, and (now) concerted efforts to extend…
- Chad’s 2024 Parliamentary Elections – A Forgone Conclusion in the Face of Boycott
In May 2024, Chadian voters went to the polls to elect their president in an election that was not recognized as fully free or fair by the international community. Chadians… - Namibia: A Dynamic, Yet Predictable Exercise in Democracy
On November 27, 2024, Namibians will head to the polls to elect a new president and parliament. This will be the seventh general election since the country gained its independence… - Botswana: Inside the Country’s Most Competitive Election to Date
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 On 30 October, Botswana will hold its thirteenth parliamentary elections, marking the most formidable challenge that the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has faced since coming to… - A Socialist Civil War: Can the EFF survive Zuma’s brand of conservative socialism?
The 14th of August marked a pivotal moment for Julius Malema — the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters. Already reeling from the fallout of the 2024 election, in which… - Algeria’s Presidential Election and the Power of Incumbency: Why the Old Guard Isn’t Going AnywhereWritten by Alec Soltes, contributions from Li Zhi Rieken and Adrian Elimian Algeria is scheduled to hold a presidential election on September 7. This is only the second election after…
- Rwanda Elections: “Untouchable” Kagame’s Tight Grip on PowerWritten by Alec Soltes, contributions from Li Zhi Rieken and Adrian Elimian Introduction On 15 July, Rwanda will hold concurrent presidential and parliamentary elections for the first time in its…
- AfricaElects South African Provincial and National predictionsGovernmentZA | CC BY-SA 2.0 Written by Dylan Simpson with contributions from Li Zhi Rieken and Adrian Elimian In our final article ahead of the South African election, we give…
- Coalition Scenarios: The Future of South African PoliticsWritten by Dylan Simpson with contributions from Li Zhi Rieken and Adrian Elimian If all the polling is to be believed, South Africa has chosen to put an end to…
- The MK Factor: How Zuma’s Return could shake up South Africa’s political landscapeJacob Zuma in 2017 (GovernmentZA/ CC BY-ND 2.0 Written by Dylan Simpson, contributions from Adrian Elimian Nestled along the Eswatini border, KwaZulu-Natal is hot, green and like the rest of…
- Chad: A Show Transition and Dynastic ConsolidationWritten by Alec Soltes, contributions from Adrian Elimian Fresh off the heels of last year’s constitutional referendum, former transitional military leader Mahamat Déby has put into action plans to run…
- Exploring South Africa’s Lesser-Known Political ForcesWritten by Dylan Simpson, contributions from Adrian Elimian On the 29th of May, South Africa will hold its seventh democratic election, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s history as…
- Madagascar in Turmoil: the Looming Political CrisisAlthough Madagascar is no stranger to political tumult, its long history of contested elections and deep-seated political rivalries has peaked ahead of upcoming presidential elections. As the country faces yet…
- Nigeria’s Off-Cycle Governors’ RacesMuch like our coverage of the main stretch of Nigerian elections in February and March, this piece will review the outlook for the 11 November gubernatorial elections. Along with the…
- South Sudanese Electoral Reforms: Path to Progress or Consolidation of Power?In the turbulent political landscape of South Sudan, where stable governance has been elusive since gaining independence in 2011, the country is currently at a key crossroads in its political…
- Mauritania: The first challenge of the Ghazouani eraThe 1,786,488 Mauritanians that have registered to vote between 27 January and 13 March 2023 are called to vote on 13 May for the first round of the legislative election,…
- Nigerian Gubernatorial Elections: State RatingsAs part of our coverage for the elections in Nigeria, this piece reviews parties’ outlook for the all-important gubernatorial elections. Along with the overall summary, we are releasing our final…
- Africa Elects Nigeria Election CentreThe Presidency As noted in our electoral system explainer article, to win the Presidency, a candidate must receive both the most votes and 25% of the vote in 2/3 of…
- Could the Nigerian Election go to a Second Round?Like many other presidential democracies worldwide, Nigeria uses a two-round system to elect its President. However, the unique modifications to the system make it like no other two-round system in…
- Nigerian Presidential Election: State RatingsIn one of the last parts of our series on the upcoming elections in Nigeria, we review the presidential election outlook for each of Nigeria’s thirty-six states along with its…
- Nigerian Presidential Election: GaffesRecent Nigerian politics is no stranger to embarrassing gaffes. Whether it be now-President Muhammadu Buhari introducing his now-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo—by the wrong name in 2015 or Governor Yahaya Bello…
- Nigerian Presidential Election: Scandal GaloreIn the third part of our series on the upcoming elections in Nigeria, we will look at the campaign period from September to December 2022. The All Progressives Congress’ Bola…
- Sahrawi Republic: A 50-year-old conflict for independenceBetween 13 and 22 January 2023, the Frente Popular para la Liberation de Saguia El Hamra y Río de Oro (Frente POLISARIO, left-wing|centre-left) held its 16th Congress in the Dajla…
- Nigerian Presidential Election: Primaries and their aftermathIn the second part of our series on the upcoming elections in Nigeria, we will look at the presidential primaries and their aftermaths. With incumbent Muhammadu Buhari (APC, centre) term-limited,…
- Mauritania: New Election, New SystemWhat was rumoured already for weeks has been confirmed: Mauritania will hold snap legislative, regional, and local elections in early 2023. This comes after two roundtable negotiations between all registered…
- Nigerian Presidential Election: The Politics of a 200 Million Strong DemocracyIn early 2023, Nigerians will head to the polls to elect a new president. With incumbent Muhammadu Buhari (APC) term-limited, the nation stands at a crossroads. Us at Africa Elects…
- Somaliland Parliamentary Election: Peace and DemocracySomaliland is a paradox. A self-proclaimed independent territory of Somalia in 1991, it is not recognised as sovereign by any UN member country. Its economy is one of the weakest in…
Africa ElectsPolls and elections in Africa