Autocrats around the world have been innovating new ways to steal elections, manipulating rules and revising laws to keep themselves in power for as long as possible. Still, citizens know when an election is a sham. Once voters become tired of the charade, autocrats often turn to violence and harsh crackdowns, as happened last month in Cameroon and Tanzania with deadly results.
The following Journal of Democracy essays examine these and other fraudulent contests, their aftermath, and what they mean for the future of democracy.
Cameroon’s Election Casts a Long Shadow
Cameroonians just reelected the 92-year-old Paul Biya in an election that voters rightly view with suspicion. The tensions under the surface don’t bode well for the country or its people.
Christopher FomunyohHas Tanzania Reached Its Breaking Point?
President Hassan sought to strongarm the country’s election, meting out repression, violence, and arrests to anyone who dares challenge her. Tanzanians have seen enough.
Dan PagetHow Maduro Stole Venezuela’s Vote
Nicolás Maduro brazenly stole Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election, despite a free, fair, and transparent ballot count that showed a clear opposition victory. Why would an autocrat want to maintain one of the world’s best voting systems?
Javier Corrales and Dorothy KronickWhy History Is Repeating Itself in Thailand
Thai politics appears to be in a loop, with the military keeping people’s democratic hopes under wraps. But there is reason to believe the streets won’t be quiet for long.
Wichuta Teeratanabodee and Jeffrey N. WasserstromWhy Georgia’s Democracy Is Collapsing
The ruling party is growing more repressive as it draws from Vladimir Putin’s playbook. If the opposition is to push back successfully, they must first unify.
Giorgi Meladze and Nadia AsaadWhy Does the Kremlin Bother Holding Sham Elections?
Everyone knows that Russia’s election is a fraud. The problem is no dictator ever feels safe enough, and Putin thinks even a fake election will signal to his cronies that he’s still in charge.
Margarita ZavadskayaBolivia’s Citizen Revolt
Evo Morales lost the presidency in November 2019 due not to a coup, but to a citizen revolt. After his controversial bid for a fourth consecutive term, the opposition mobilized against him and his regime disintegrated.
Fabrice Lehoucq
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