Following issues are discussed: how can we stabilise the rocky African constitutionalism boat through the stormy seas of authoritarian revival and prevent the democratic recession spiralling into a depression? How can we design systems that will ensure that elections will be genuinely competitive and be a real contest between competing approaches to nation-building and not a contest between enemies. How can we reduce the cost of losing an election and encourage incumbents and opposition parties to accept defeat and continue to play by the rules of the democratic game?

During this seminar, Dr. Nicolas Schmitt will present a conference entitled “ ’Little Aberrations here and there’ – the Difficulties of improving Democracy Through Elections in Africa”