Africa’s Democratic Backlash

Since 2020, the African continent has witnessed nine military coups that have replaced democratically elected presidents with military leaders. This trend is part of a broader shift towards a more ‘Southern’ global approach, where Africa is increasingly opposing Western influence and embracing illiberal regimes.

The continent’s democratic experiment has faced numerous challenges since the 1990s, when French President François Mitterrand’s La Baule speech called for democratic reforms. While some African nations have embraced these reforms, others have misused them or outright rejected them.