Tuesday, 20 September 2022

12pm Washington D.C. 5pm London / Kinshasa  6pm Paris / Cape Town / Cairo  7pm Nairobi

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Today, more elections are being held than at any other time in human history. Yet democracy is in a two decades long recession, with major backsliding evident in all corners of the globe. The main reason is that authoritarian leaders have learned how to manipulate elections to stay in power. Instead of working to secure a fair process and an equal political playing field, these leaders are using regular polls as a device to merely legitimate their illiberal reign.

Recently, this has led to flawed polls across Africa, including in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, as well as repeated controversies across the democratic spectrum such as in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Of course, not all elections are manipulated. In The Gambia, Nigeria, Malawi and Zambia, for example, opposition parties emerged victorious against stacked odds, even though their respective playing fields were anything but level.

In this show, we will speak to leaders who have experienced and lived through flawed elections. We will also include the voices of those who have successfully safeguarded election integrity, highlighting in this process the most effective strategies to defend democracy in Africa and beyond.

Meet our speakers

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