Africans Voice Support for Democracy Despite Some Disappointment and Frustration According to Poll
16 June 2006

While most Africans want a democratic political regime, demand and popular support for democracy have been gradually declining, according to a report released by the Afrobarometer Network.

The report, an analysis of a series of public attitudes surveys in twelve African countries from 1999 to 2006, found there was confusion about the relationship between democracy and one-party systems and uncertainty about democracy’s effectiveness when one party constantly remains in power. However, six in ten Africans find democracy “preferable to any other form of government” and participation in elections remains high.

The report also found that while satisfaction with democracy and elections may have declined, there has been an increase in support for some democratic institutions, as well as the political patience in Africans. The majority of Africans feel leaders should be elected in free, fair and multi-party elections, and most think they have more freedom now than they used to have, though freedom of speech is still in need of improvement.

The report also covers economic issues and trends in state legitimacy and government performance. While the surveys were conducted in both open and conflicted countries, the report’s authors caution against using the results to represent the entirety of Africa.

For more information on the report, please visit http://www.afrobarometer.org/papers/AfropaperNo61.pdf.