Election Processes and Problems in Weak (and Less Weak) States: Selected Cases and Experiences

Abstract

The issues related to power, politics and change in weak states are approached by looking at the way in which elections are prepared for and electoral issues handled. The point of departure is a general model of the contextualised electoral process with a number of iterative steps or phases. Afghanistan, Iraq, Lesotho, Nepal and Mauritius are the cases selected for scrutiny, and the main focus is on the choice of seats allocation systems during the most recent attempts at democratisation. The five cases are characterised by rather different decision-making processes and each has chosen a different system for allocating parliamentary seats. The likely consequences for the degree of inclusivity and the prospects for the development of a consensual parliamentary style are discussed, but several parliamentary terms have to come to an end before final conclusions can be drawn. It is argued that donor interest in this particular topic has been unwarrantedly sparse, which is most regrettable. In the final section a few other elements of the electoral process cycle are discussed in order to allow the drawing of a few conclusions about election- and democratisation-related support in weak states.