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The Latest Breaking News from Afrobarometer

South Africans have lost trust in the police, in parliament and in political parties - what that means

For democracies to function well, citizens have to trust their institutions. Every incidence of bad service delivery or corruption will influence how much citizens trust institutions.

The Conversation

60% of Africans don’t believe democracy is working in their interests – how parliaments can fix the problem

Across Africa, democracy is being tested – by rising authoritarianism and military coups as well as a growing disconnect between citizens and the institutions meant to represent them.

The Conversation

One year on: South Africa’s coalition government boosted optimism, but will it last?

For the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994, the ruling African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority in 2024. After 30 years in power, it had to form a coalition with 10 other political parties to govern the country. The creation of the “government of national unity”…

The Conversation

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Togo’s citizens want to leave Ecowas – new survey suggests why

A survey of Togolese citizens recently looked into perceptions of their government’s handling of the terrorist threat in the northern region and of the Alliance of Sahel States – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The survey was carried out by Afrobarometer, an independent, pan-African research network, in partnership with the…

The Conversation

Winning hearts and power: how Mali’s military regime gained popular support

Mali’s interim president, Colonel d’Armée Assimi Goïta, who came to power in a coup on 18 August 2020, enjoys remarkably strong public support. Survey data from pan-African research network Afrobarometer and the Mali-Métre survey, run by Germany’s Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung since 2012, indicate high levels of satisfaction with junta rule. In the…

The Conversation

Who do Africans trust most? Surveys show it’s not the state (more likely the army)

A recent Afrobarometer study has shown declining trust in public institutions over the past decade among African citizens. Study findings call into question the credibility and legitimacy of state institutions like the presidency, parliament and security forces, including the police. The study also shows that many Africans still believe in…

The Conversation

Will Africa’s young voters continue to punish incumbents at the ballot box in 2025? We are about to find out

Voters in Gabon head to the ballot box on April 12, 2025, in a vote that marks the first election in the Central African nation since a 2023 coup ended the 56-year rule of the Bongo family.

The Conversation

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Do African MPs reflect the people who vote for them? We studied 17 countries to find out

By the end of 2025, 42 African countries will have held national elections in the previous 24 months. But do these elections produce parliaments that accurately reflect the societies they serve? Aside from studies of women in Africa’s legislatures, there is surprisingly little information about this important issue.

The Conversation

Young, urban, African: research explores what it means to be a good citizen in Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania

Young people between the ages of 18 and 35 make up two-thirds of Africa’s population. The number is expected to reach 75% by 2030. They live in an environment of rapid urbanisation, high unemployment rates and poor state services. These are some of the factors that incline young people towards…

The Conversation

Support for democracy in Africa falls amid military coups and corruption

Africans still have stronger preference for democratic governance than many other parts of the world

The Guardian - UK

Mining needs more regulation, according to South Africans – survey

South Africa has large reserves of coal, gold, manganese and platinum.

The Conversation

South Africa elections: voting under way amid grim national mood

Ruling African National Congress party could lose majority for first time since apartheid ended 30 years ago

The Guardian - UK

South Africa elections: what are the issues and will ANC lose its majority?

Country goes to polls on 29 May and unemployment, inequality and power cuts have dented ruling party’s support

The Guardian - UK

Belief in democracy is on the decline in Africa. Traditional institutions can help restore its importance

Democracy in Africa has not had a good year. Military juntas from Mali to Niger appear to have cemented their grip on power. Sudan’s democratic dreams were dashed when the country’s two most powerful strongmen opted for war. And there’s now evidence that ordinary Africans may be losing faith in…

The Conversation

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The Conversation

How governments use IMF bailouts to hurt political opponents – new research

Sri Lanka received a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in March amid soaring inflation, debt and a sovereign default.

The Conversation

Ghanaians don't trust the police. A criminologist on what needs to be done about it

The relationship between Ghanaian citizens and officers of its police service is a tenuous one. Recent reports by the research network Afrobarometer show a decline in trust between citizens and officers amid complaints of harassment and bribery. There have also been accusations of the police being used by the political…

Al Jazeera

Africa’s coup epidemic: Has democracy failed the continent?

The support for military takeovers is growing across Africa, and civilian governments are to blame, say analysts.

Radio France Internationale

As coup follows coup in West Africa, could Cameroon be next?

A recent survey of 36 African countries revealed that though citizens support democracy, a slim majority is willing to endorse a military coup if elected leaders abuse their power. As a number of West African nations grapple with this dilemma, some wonder whether longtime Cameroonian leader Paul Biya might face…

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Al Jazeera

Season of putsch: Why have coups become popular in Africa?

Military leaders are exploiting disenchantment with democratic leadership amid deteriorating economic conditions.

Al Jazeera

Slaying ‘Goliath’: Can new blood surmount old guard in Zimbabwe election?

Opposition leader Chamisa faces a number of challenges in his bid to become Zimbabwe’s next president.

The Independent UK

Voter fatigue edges out optimism as Zimbabwe holds 2nd general election since Mugabe's ouster

A general election Wednesday in Zimbabwe is crucial to determining the future of a southern African nation endowed with vast mineral resources and rich agricultural land

The Conversation

Civilian support for military coups is rising in parts of Africa: why the reasons matter

On the night of 13 January 1963, Togo’s President Sylvanus Olympio was shot dead by rebels in the first military coup staged in Africa. A long list, as shown below, was to come. From the 1960s to the end of the millennium, there were an average of four military coups…

The Conversation

Ghana's new chief justice: Gertrude Tokornoo faces challenges, but could help transform the country's courts

Her Ladyship Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo took office as the 15th ,chief justice of Ghana on 12 June 2023. She is the third woman to occupy the position, which is the fourth highest in the country after the president, vice-president and speaker of parliament. Ghana’s judiciary is made up…

The Conversation

Sierra Leone elections: survey reveals what voters care about most

Sierra Leoneans go to the polls again on 24 June, in the country’s fifth post-conflict electoral contest.

The Conversation

South Africa's ruling party is performing dismally, but a flawed opposition keeps it in power

As power cuts continue, the economy falters, unemployment rises and the currency tumbles, South Africa’s political commentators tend to agree that support for the governing African National Congress (ANC) will fall under 50% in the 2024 national and provincial elections. If the party avoids a defeat, it could lead to…

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