This introduction to the Special Focus argues that more thorough and nuanced understandings of the past accomplishments and failures of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) are needed. The article contends that detailed accounts focusing on the practices of diverse actors and institutions within the ACDEG’s multi-level governance framework and their – sometimes – frictional relations are necessary to develop appropriate future policy governing continental encounters with democratic governance. The paper introduces the different articles of the Special Focus which all address the fundamental question of how the implementation and impact of the ACDEG influence the African democratic governance landscape. Based on their analysis of key norms, actors, and processes, the inquiries in this Special Focus set out distinct directions for further empirical research and theorising about the ACDEG.

中文翻译：

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非洲民主、选举和治理宪章：趋势、挑战和前景

对《特别焦点》的介绍认为，需要对《非洲民主、选举和治理宪章》(ACDEG) 过去的成就和失败进行更彻底、更细致的理解。文章认为，关注 ACDEG 多层次治理框架内不同行为者和机构的实践及其（有时）摩擦关系的详细说明对于制定适当的未来政策来管理大陆与民主治理的相遇是必要的。本文介绍了特别焦点的不同文章，它们都解决了 ACDEG 的实施和影响如何影响非洲民主治理格局的基本问题。根据他们对关键规范、参与者和流程的分析，