Coups in Africa: Why They Happen and What Can (Not) Be Done about Them

Russia’s war against Ukraine has accelerated international competition for influence in Africa. Structural weaknesses and post-pandemic instabilities continue to threaten democratic governance, peace, and development. We present a selective list and analysis of “ten things to watch” in Africa in 2023.

Recent military coups underscore that democratisation is under pressure in Africa. While long-term trends paint a positive picture, current threats to democratisation beyond the coups include socio-economic challenges, violent conflict, power-hungry elites, and external support for autocrats.

In this article, Hager Ali (GIGA), Salah Ben Hammou, and Jonathan Powell (University of Central Florida) investigate how armies re-entrench their power after thwarting democratic transitions.

Militärputsche in Afrika nehmen zu. Warum? GIGA-Experte Prof. Dr. Matthias Basedau erklärt gegenüber dem Spiegel: Auslöser sind politische Krisen und ein stark politisiertes Militär. Außerdem: Wenn ein Putsch in einem Land gelingt, steigt die Wahrscheinlichkeit von Nachahmung anderswo.

Fifty years after the Third Wave of democratization, this systematic review revisits the debate on democracy and internal conflict. Analyzing 66 studies, it finds a modest peace effect: stable liberal democracies are more peaceful, while hybrids face more conflict—offering a nuanced optimism.

Military coups in the Sahel countries have shaken the foundations of Europe’s foreign policy towards the region. Amidst the growing influence of Russia, how should European governments position themselves?

Russia’s war against Ukraine has accelerated international competition for influence in Africa. Structural weaknesses and post-pandemic instabilities continue to threaten democratic governance, peace, and development. We present a selective list and analysis of “ten things to watch” in Africa in 2023.

Recent military coups underscore that democratisation is under pressure in Africa. While long-term trends paint a positive picture, current threats to democratisation beyond the coups include socio-economic challenges, violent conflict, power-hungry elites, and external support for autocrats.

In this article, Hager Ali (GIGA), Salah Ben Hammou, and Jonathan Powell (University of Central Florida) investigate how armies re-entrench their power after thwarting democratic transitions.