Disputed presidential election in Sierra Leone. Video analysis with Simon Primus
On June 24, 2023, Sierra Leone, a West African country, held presidential elections. Official results indicate that the sitting president was reaffirmed in office with a substantial majority. Yet, both national and international observers voice significant doubts – hinting at the possibility of systematic election rigging. In his video analysis, Simon Primus provides an overview of the events and discusses the plausibility of the official results in light of long-term voting patterns in Sierra Leone.
At the Chair of Comparative Political Science, Simon Primus studies how democratic elections influence the societal cleavages of post-colonial states in Africa. Sierra Leone in West Africa presents a particularly interesting case. After a severe civil war in the 1990s, the country has developed into a stable democracy, including regular peaceful turnovers of power. Against the backdrop of regional and global autocratization tendencies, the trajectory of such a successful democratization project holds has a signalling effect and may impact other nations.