Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 March 2019
The wave of democratization that has engulfed African countries since the 1980s has been characterized by the establishment of or return to multi-party politics. This has mostly happened in political systems with a long history of de facto and de jure constraints on the ability of political parties to function effectively. While few countries today (examples include Eritrea and Swaziland) continue to deny the principle and legitimacy of a pluralistic organization of political associations and parties, many political parties in “new democracies” still face insurmountable obstacles in creating a level playing field and have to cope with legal and administrative provisions that severely restrict their free operation.
1 This article outlines the ongoing research project “Managing Ethnic Conflict Through Institutional Engineering: Ethnic Party Bans In Africa,” funded by Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, Köln. The authors invite communications and debate. Email: [email protected] Google Scholar
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