Chad

This paper examines doubts about electoral integrity in African countries. We focus on the supporters of losing candidates and build on growing research on this topic from other contexts. Our cross-national analysis shows that cues by elites regarding a contest significantly shape the perceptions of their supporters. Where losing candidates reject an election result, their supporters are highly likely to question the integrity of the election. This is true even when controlling for the freeness and fairness of the election as assessed by international observers. Overall, the results suggest that losing candidates have substantial ability to shape the stability of democratic rule.

The paper focuses on the electoral process that was undertaken to finish the transition in Chad, which is the only Sahel state to have held elections after a putsch. The president is now internationally recognised as the elected president, and the transition is complete. At the same, time human rights violations and the lack of democracy are obvious in all decisions – yet these issues do not receive comment by the international community.