The small, Portuguese-speaking island republic of Cape Verde offers a suggestive case study of successful democratic consolidation.
About the Author
Peter Meyns is professor of politics at the University of Duisburg in Germany. His recent publications include Konflict und Entwicklung im Südlichen Afrika (2000) and, as coeditor, Transformationsprobleme im portugiesischsprachigen Afrika (2001).
When Africa’s leaders act undemocratically, they face an unexpected opponent—the power of the pulpit. Within civil society, church leaders and their faithful have become leading defenders of liberal democracy.
In Senegal, voters, civil society, and the media remain active and engaged, but as the reelection of Macky Sall showed, the president’s ability to limit competition and centralize power remains…
