The African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (2007) and Democratization in Ethiopia: Prospects and Challenges
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Date
2018-12
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Political leadership in Africa after the colonial era has been followed by factors like single Parties, personal-coercive military, coup d’états which do not allow sustainable electoral democracies or sustained governance. After AU replaced OAU it has opted to put various mechanisms to bring democratic transition and consolidation by producing various mechanisms likewise Democracy Charter to assist member states. Even though, the member states are hybrid regimes or electoral authoritarians most of the member states have made commitment to form democratic leadership. One of the member states Ethiopia has signed ratified and deposited to be governed or ruled by the charter since 2007. After the down fall of Dergue the state has hold five elections since 1991, and subsequently signed the charter as well as had held two more elections under the protocol. Besides signing the agreement taking lesson from the most competitive election and post electoral violence of 2005 the government had enacted laws that curtailed the political culture and that has developed the tendency towards authoritarianism. The study has two distinct objectives but interrelated objectives. On the one hand it examines the structural and institutional challenges in governing the democratization process and on the other hand it examines implementation of AU’s principles in practice and AU’s activity in governing the democratic election. The research study uses both primary and secondary data. In corroborating the analysis theories of democratization like transition theory and exogenous influence and integration alliance theories were employed. In conclusion the study found out the Ethiopian government had achieved success in the women representation, formation of political systems and democracy institutions and has slightly and systematically violated the agreements with regard to violation of some of the agreements in the past elections however the actor or elite exchange has delivered opportunities towards democratic transition. The research also reveals the gaps, weakness, strength of the Ruling party, weakness of oppositions, CSOs, and presents possible opportunities towards democratization in Ethiopia in compliance with ACDEG.
Keywords: Political leadership, Democratic Charter, Authoritarianism, Hybrid Regime, coup d’états
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Keywords
Political leadership, Democratic Charter, Authoritarianism, Hybrid Regime, coup d’états