Military Coups in Africa Are a Symptom—Not the Cause—of Political Dysfunction
Stark Rise in Military Coups
Africa is witnessing an alarming rise in military coups, with seven leaders ousted between August 2020 and November 2023, eclipsing the 13 coups of the prior two decades. These coups, concentrated in a volatile belt from Niger to Sudan, are not just isolated events but signals of a continent in turmoil.
Drivers of Military Coups in Africa
In a Foreign Affairs article, Comfort Ero and Murithi Mutiga of the International Crisis Group go in-depth on the string of coups that are plaguing the African continent.
They identify the shared dynamics that underpin these coups:
- Although local dynamics inspired each coup, discontent with governing authorities cuts across much of Africa.
- Economic woes are the primary driver of popular frustration (exacerbated by covid-19 pandemic, climate change and soaring inflation).
- Citizens are becoming disillusioned with democracy or increasingly believe that authoritarian rule is the only solution to their countries’ problems.
Coups often arise from government failures to tackle challenges like Islamist militancy or political corruption, leading to a loss of public trust and opening the door for military intervention.
An annual survey by Afrobarometer, a Ghana-based research group that assesses popular attitudes across the continent, found in 2022 that citizens of almost every African state, including inhabitants of relatively stable East African and southern African countries, believed that their country was headed in the wrong direction.
This trend has shifted public perception, with many viewing coups as a necessary evil to replace ineffective governance, raising concerns about the continent’s democratic future.
MORE >> The Crisis of African Democracy (Foreign Affairs article).