Most recent accounts paint a bleak and gloomy picture of the state of global democracy. This is particularly so in Africa where the optimism of a democratic revival in the 1990s is rapidly giving way to narratives of doom and gloom. Using survey data compiled by well-established regional and global international organisations, this paper assesses the state of electoral democracy in Africa, reviews the challenges that have been encountered, and considers the prospects for the future. The trend in the evolution of electoral democracy on the continent in the last three decades points to an authoritarian mobilisation and resurgence. Although elections have become the norm, these elections are increasingly being used to disguise all forms of undemocratic governance. The major lesson to be drawn from the study is that there is no African country where democracy and constitutionalism can be thought of as firmly consolidated and secure. The number of countries which are declining due to failed or flawed electoral processes, or which show signs of stagnation, far exceed those that have improved to one degree or another. Current developments are not random ad hoc efforts to undermine the credibility of elections and democracy but rather, rational and well-calculated responses by ruling African elites who seek to perpetuate their rule. What this points to is the need to rethink strategies for promoting genuinely competitive elections, democracy, and constitutionalism.

最近的报道描绘了全球民主状况的黯淡和悲观图景。在非洲尤其如此，1990 年代民主复兴的乐观情绪正在迅速让位于厄运和悲观的叙述。使用由成熟的区域和全球国际组织编制的调查数据，本文评估了非洲的选举民主状况，回顾了遇到的挑战，并考虑了未来的前景。过去 30 年，非洲大陆选举民主的演变趋势指向威权主义的动员和复兴。尽管选举已成为常态，但这些选举正越来越多地被用来掩饰各种形式的不民主治理。从这项研究中得到的主要教训是，没有一个非洲国家的民主和宪政可以被认为是牢固巩固和安全的。由于选举过程失败或有缺陷而衰落的国家数量，或显示出停滞迹象的国家数量，远远超过在一定程度上有所改善的国家数量。当前的事态发展不是破坏选举和民主可信度的随机临时努力，而是非洲统治精英寻求延续其统治的理性和经过深思熟虑的反应。这表明需要重新思考促进真正竞争性选举、民主和宪政的战略。由于选举过程失败或有缺陷而衰落的国家数量，或显示出停滞迹象的国家数量，远远超过在一定程度上有所改善的国家数量。当前的事态发展不是破坏选举和民主可信度的随机临时努力，而是非洲统治精英寻求延续其统治的理性和经过深思熟虑的反应。这表明需要重新思考促进真正竞争性选举、民主和宪政的战略。由于选举过程失败或有缺陷而衰落的国家数量，或显示出停滞迹象的国家数量，远远超过在一定程度上有所改善的国家数量。当前的事态发展不是破坏选举和民主可信度的随机临时努力，而是非洲统治精英寻求延续其统治的理性和经过深思熟虑的反应。这表明需要重新思考促进真正竞争性选举、民主和宪政的战略。寻求延续其统治的非洲统治精英的理性和经过深思熟虑的反应。这表明需要重新思考促进真正竞争性选举、民主和宪政的战略。寻求延续其统治的非洲统治精英的理性和经过深思熟虑的反应。这表明需要重新思考促进真正竞争性选举、民主和宪政的战略。