Open AccessElections, Legitimacy, and Democratic Consolidation in Southern Africa Lessons from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi
Author(s) -
Hangala Siachiwena,
Chris Saunders
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of african elections
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2415-5837
pISSN - 1609-4700
DOI - 10.20940/jae/2021/v20i1a4
Subject(s) - legitimacy , democratization , democratic consolidation , democracy , consolidation (business) , politics , political science , political economy , general election , democratic legitimacy , development economics , law , sociology , economics , accounting
Regular elections are now the norm across most of sub-Saharan Africa, but repeated elections have not guaranteed the consolidation of democracy. Election legitimacy is crucial for democratisation. When losing political actors and their supporters are not satisfied with the electoral process, there is potential for growing political tensions. Fraudulent or controversial elections fail to confer legitimacy on the winners, and undermine the integrity of elections and democracy. Drawing on Afrobarometer data and media accounts, this paper focuses on the most recent elections held in three southern African countries: Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. We show that when citizens believe that elections were not free and fair, there is a decline in their satisfaction with democracy and the trust they have in institutions such as electoral commissions and courts of law. The absence of political reforms to address disputed election outcomes increases the likelihood that future elections will not be contested fairly. This sets countries on a path of democratic decline rather than consolidation.