Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty
Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty
Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
International Idea<br />
It is difficult to argue that <strong>Africa</strong> can develop a unique party-based democracy that<br />
responds to its own political culture and position <strong>in</strong> the new context of development<br />
so long as it operates under the <strong>in</strong>fluence of such powerful global parliamentary<br />
and party-to-party democracy networks. However, <strong>Africa</strong>n party-based democracy,<br />
as this report demonstrates, has so far reta<strong>in</strong>ed some <strong>in</strong>stitutional arrangements<br />
<strong>in</strong><strong>for</strong>med by <strong>Africa</strong>n levels of socio-economic development and the diverse political<br />
cultures, some of which imp<strong>in</strong>ge negatively on its overall democratic credentials.<br />
However, <strong>Africa</strong>n regional and sub-regional parliament-to-parliament associations<br />
are yet to develop <strong>in</strong>to party-to-party networks through which like-m<strong>in</strong>ded<br />
<strong>Africa</strong>n ideological approaches and similarities <strong>in</strong> economic development trends<br />
and experiences could develop <strong>in</strong>to genu<strong>in</strong>e <strong>in</strong>terdependence <strong>for</strong> foster<strong>in</strong>g peace<br />
and security, contribut<strong>in</strong>g to regional economic <strong>in</strong>tegration, and br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g these<br />
<strong>in</strong>stitutions closer to the people.<br />
The relationship between party <strong>in</strong>ternationals and <strong>Africa</strong>n political parties and<br />
the way <strong>in</strong> which it affects party programmes and manifestos have not been well<br />
researched and require some serious attention. Here International IDEA’s Programme<br />
on Research and Dialogue with <strong>Political</strong> <strong>Parties</strong> could take a lead <strong>in</strong> order that ensure<br />
that this issue can be pursued further.<br />
<strong>Africa</strong>n Party and Electoral Systems