The Spreading of Electoral Systems in Contemporary Africa

the Parliamentary Electoral System and its Performance

Abstract

It seems reasonable to suppose that African countries' electoral systems are hugely influenced by their former suzerain countries. However this research on the parliamentary electoral systems of the fourty-nine countries indicates internal efforts to modify them. For example, among the twenty-two Anglophone countries, while fifteen have adopted the FPTP, nine have added special rules like affirmative action based on ethnicity or sexuality. On the other hand, the research that was conducted on the performance of the electoral system shows that twelve countries are under hegemonic party systems, nine countries lack working electoral systems, six countries are in a negative spiral caused by the turnover of the new authoritarian ruling parties by elections, and only seven countries have established stable and democratic party systems. Based upon these results it can be said that most African countries are still in the process of implementing their electoral systems in their societies.