August 2008, id21 insights, Issue #74

Elections and the democracy challenge

Many observers argue that the blandness and predictability of established democracies is a sign of national maturity. Indeed, American author and social critic, Gore Vidal, once commented: 'A democracy is a place where numerous elections are held at great cost without issues and with interchangeable candidates'.

In much of the Western world, gone are the great ideological battles of the past. Instead, today's political candidates debate the details of important, though hardly exciting, issues such as health care, trade and tariffs, and social security. It is little wonder, therefore, that voter turnout rates have been dropping in the USA and western Europe for many years. While international experts lament this creeping political-electoral apathy, in developing countries, where elections have been burdened with excessive significance, residents would probably prefer that their balloting was a bit more mundane.

Campaign posters for Zimbabwe's 29 March 2008 General Elections. Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change defeated President Robert Mugabe of the ruling Zanu-PF party but the government claimed he did not receive the required 50 percent of votes to assume power and declared a run-off. This was held on 27 June 2008 but Tsvangirai withdrew from the contest because of violence against his supporters. The two sides are currently in talks to resolve the crisis. ©Robin Hammond, Panos Pictures, 2008

Other articles in this issue:

Elections and conflict resolution in transitional environments

In September 2007, few outside the country noticed the successful completion of national elections in Sierra Leone. Yet they were landmark polls, accepted as credible and transparent and a major step in the consolidation of peace and stability.

Successful elections in Africa

Africans have fought hard to ensure that democratic elections are the required and preferred way for government representatives to access, maintain and give up political power. As a result, competitive elections in Africa are no longer the exception; they have gradually become the rule.

Re-evaluating electoral assistance

Elections usually receive a high level of international political attention and abundant funding when they are linked to crisis resolution. Examples range from the Balkans in the mid-1990s, to a host of African countries, including Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Côte d'Ivoire. However, focusing on elections, without considering accompanying institutional developments, can aggravate rather than mitigate existing conflict dynamics.

Civil society fights for change in Guinea

Guinea recently experienced its most serious political, social and economic crisis since independence. A series of flawed elections, the impunity of the elite in power, a weak and disorganised political class, and a non-functional administrative state culminated in a popular insurrection in January and February 2007.

Trusting internet voting in Estonia

In the 2007 Estonian parliamentary elections, all voters could choose to register their vote via the Internet.

Controlling money and politics – an exercise in damage control

No democracy is immune from the corrosive effects of money on politics. The United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and other established democracies have all experienced recent political scandals.

Certifying election commissions to stop election violence

Question: what do Kenya, Georgia, Ukraine and Haiti have in common? Answer: located on three different continents, each country has held highly problematic elections over the past five years – with highly problematic election commissions organising them.

Glossary of terms

Useful web links

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