Social Media, Elections and Political Engagement: The 2014 General Election in Mauritius
Mauritius has preferred the ballot to the bullet, earning its status as a democracy to be emulated within Africa. Elections are a regular feature of the Mauritian political landscape, and since it became independent in 1968 the small island has already held ten elections deemed to be free and fair. Another notable feature is the […]
Mauritius: The Not So Perfect Democracy
Mauritius has come a long way since independence in 1968, when observers predicted that the ‘overcrowded barracoon’, as V S Naipaul referred to the island, would fail to achieve peace and economic prosperity. As a result of its success in managing diversity and capitalising on protected markets and guaranteed export prices Mauritius has emerged in […]
Electoral Reform in Southern Africa: Voter Turnout, Electoral Rules and Infrastructure
Elections are the most important elements of democracies and, with referenda, the only way to organise mass participation and to promote government accountability. Low voter turnout can be seen as an indicator of low legitimacy and limited political stability. The African Union, the Southern African Development Community and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development champion […]
Elections, Gender and Governance in Mauritius
The object of this paper is to explore the reasons for the under representation of women in the Mauritian legislature as well as to examine the implications for democratic governance of such under representation. It argues that although elections are necessary they are not sufficient to legitimise the state. The regularity and peacefulness of Mauritian […]
The Formation, Collapse and Revival of Political Party Coalitions in Mauritius: Ethnic Logic and Calculation at Play
Coalitions and alliances are a regular feature of the Mauritian political landscape. The eight post-independence general elections have all been marked by electoral accords where those expecting to retain power or those aspiring to be in power hedge their bets by forming alliances with partners that ensure that they will be elected. Another fascinating feature […]
The Electoral Reform Process in Mauritius
This paper confirms the reputation of Mauritius as a stable country with a well entrenched multiparty democracy and parliamentary system, which, however, need deepening. Independent institutions as well as fair, transparent and credible election management processes ensure trust both internally and from external observers in Mauritian democracy and the credibility of the parliamentary and executive […]