Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty

International Idea
set the stage for participatory democratic practices are often treated as tools for rulers
rather than instruments for checks and balances.
There is widespread agreement that democracy is the best tool for the peaceful
management of social and political conflicts, and hence lays the most solid foundation
for political and economic development. Yet, since democratization involves profound
changes in the distribution of power and in the relationship between citizens and the
state, democracy often generates violence before it becomes able to manage conflict,
and elections are often at the centre of such conflict.
Elections are in too many cases staged events with predetermined outcomes rather
than expressions of true democratic processes. EMBs can often be influenced by
ruling elites to produce the desired outcomes. We know from other research that
political parties, so crucial for the good functioning of democracy, are among the least
trusted institutions in all parts of the world. Hence, two of the central institutions
of democracy, EMBs and political parties, are increasingly interlinked and often also
increasingly questioned. To further complicate the situation, EMB–political party
relations are also often characterized by low levels of mutual confidence and trust—
even if good relations also prevail in some countries. This is of central importance
for conflict management and democracy, as democratic consolidation can only be
established through citizens’ trust in the institutions that represent them and regulate
elections.
A central function of EMBs is the extent to which they enforce regulations on
political parties. A more detailed look at these relations is part of the ongoing process
of analysing the available data.
Drawing on the experience of quotas for women in politics, it is clear that the
enforcement of regulations tends to be relatively effective when it is placed in the
hands of EMBs. The reason for this is obvious: EMBs in most cases can choose not
to register parties for elections if they are in breach of the regulations. This further
underscores the importance of more research on EMB–political party relations and
on how predictability and trust can be built into the enforcement of regulations and
the management of elections.
The next section is descriptive and is meant to inform the reader of what types
of political party regulations exist in Africa and whether their application has
contributed to a better political dispensation. Below we deal with the regulations
that governing five principal aspects of the operation of political parties in Africa:
the requirements political parties and candidates must meet before they can contest
elections; the funding of political parties and election campaigns; political fund-
Party Structures and Internal Organization