Abstract
After the demise of the Cold War, there was a demand for an alternative form of governance specifically for Multiparty Democracy in Africa. Citizens hoped that greater political freedom and strong institutions would lead to more government accountability and effective development. Three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the African political landscape is still dominated by sociopolitical crises. Choosing the Ivory Coast as a textbook case, the current chapter examines the challenges of democratic governance in Africa. To this end, the chapter warns against generalizations and makes an inventory of democratic gains and advances in the continent and highlights whether democracy is a universal value or not.
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Notes
- 1.
This yearning was the result of much gained awareness among ordinary citizens. These citizens had hoped that greater political freedom and strong institutions would lead to more government accountability and effective development. Every African believed in his time that with independence Africa would solve all its problems: underdevelopment, democracy, human rights, famine, and freedom.
- 2.
Ahipeaud (2009).
- 3.
In fragile environments, peaceful elections result from credible institutions that oversee the process. Calling for good governance, Former US President Barack Obama said 2009 in Ghana, “Africa does not need strong men. It needs strong institutions.”
- 4.
Cf. Ekanza (2007).
- 5.
Cf. Boni (2003).
- 6.
Kouadio (2005).
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Yéo, L. (2022). 30 Years of Multiparty Democracy in Africa: Failures and Successes—An Overview. The Case Study of Côte d’Ivoire. In: Spiegel, E., Mutalemwa, G., Liu, C., Kurtz, L.R. (eds) Peace Studies for Sustainable Development in Africa. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92474-4_54
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