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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Substantive democracy: an alternative for societies of resignation and silencing 25/08/2025

  Summary :

  The article “Substantive democracy: an alternative for societies of resignation and silencing” examines democratic backsliding in West and Central Afr...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Mali , Ivory Coste

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Substantive democracy: an alternative for societies of resignation and silencing 25/08/2025
Summary :
The article “Substantive democracy: an alternative for societies of resignation and silencing” examines democratic backsliding in West and Central Africa. Jean-Marc Segoun highlights “hybrid” regimes—whether civilian or military—sustaining power through gerontocracy, clientelism, militarization, and coercive use of law. These systems foster fear, resignation, and silence political opposition while curtailing fundamental freedoms. Recent examples include the dissolution of political parties in Mali, repression in Burkina Faso, civil rights restrictions in Côte d’Ivoire, and entrenched authoritarianism in Cameroon. The author argues that civil society must move beyond neutrality to become a political force proposing viable alternatives. This requires building networks, sharing practices, and inventing new paradigms suited to contexts of repression. “Substantive democracy” is proposed as a framework to resist authoritarianism, regenerate political thought, and offer pathways toward inclusive governance in societies where traditional democracy has been hollowed out.
Keywords :
Governance, Democracy, Civil Society
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Parties Shape Democracy: Theory and Practice from a Global Perspective 10/06/2025

  Summary :

  This work examines the pivotal role of political parties in modern democracy. Parties embody and structure electoral competition, develop programs, mo...

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  Country : Gambia , Mali , Ivory Coste

  Organizations : Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Parties Shape Democracy: Theory and Practice from a Global Perspective 10/06/2025
Summary :
This work examines the pivotal role of political parties in modern democracy. Parties embody and structure electoral competition, develop programs, mobilize citizens, and uphold the separation of powers. Confronting a global "democratic recession"—marked by curtailed freedoms, concentrated authority, corruption, and weakened independent media—the author positions parties as potential bulwarks. In West Africa, civic space restrictions and military interventions threaten democratic processes; parties can reintroduce dialogue, articulate social interests, and offer political alternatives. The text stresses the need for genuine pluralism: without party diversity, democracy cannot exist. The book also compares international dynamics (India, Brazil, Europe, United States), showing that challenges are global, and advocates strengthening parties through transparent structures, ethical leadership, and autonomy to restore public trust.
Keywords :
Political party, Political Power, Governance, Democracy, Political participation
Organizations :
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Freedom to Inform: A Democratic Safeguard Under Pressure in West Africa? 17/11/2025

  Summary :

  The article examines the severe decline in press freedom across West Africa, highlighted by the 2025 RSF Press Freedom Index. Eleven of the region’s s...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Gambia , Mali , Mauritania , Niger , Nigeria , Senegal , Benin , Ivory Coste , Togo , Guinea , Ghana , Liberia , Guinea-Bissau , Sierra Leone , Cape Verde

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Freedom to Inform: A Democratic Safeguard Under Pressure in West Africa? 17/11/2025
Summary :
The article examines the severe decline in press freedom across West Africa, highlighted by the 2025 RSF Press Freedom Index. Eleven of the region’s sixteen countries fell in the ranking, with dramatic drops in Guinea (-31 positions), Burkina Faso (-19), and Guinea-Bissau (-18). This regression reflects a shrinking civic space driven by military regimes, media suspensions, arrests of journalists, and state propaganda. Even countries without constitutional breakdowns, such as Senegal and Benin, face major challenges—economic collapse of the media sector in Senegal and restrictive digital legislation in Benin. In this context, organizations like the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) have become essential, providing training, protection, and visibility to journalists through initiatives such as WAMECA 2025. The article also warns about the surge of disinformation campaigns targeting the region and stresses the importance of public digital infrastructures to maintain a democratic, open, and reliable information space.
Keywords :
State, Democracy, Liberté de presse, Disinformation
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Substantive Democracy Tested by Gerontocracy: What Challenges for Intergenerational Dialogue? 18/07/2025

  Summary :

  In his opinion piece published on July 15, 2025, on WATHI, Jean‑Marc Segoun examines the tensions between substantive democracy and gerontocracy, emph...

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  Country : Mali

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Substantive Democracy Tested by Gerontocracy: What Challenges for Intergenerational Dialogue? 18/07/2025
Summary :
In his opinion piece published on July 15, 2025, on WATHI, Jean‑Marc Segoun examines the tensions between substantive democracy and gerontocracy, emphasizing the need for intergenerational dialogue. He positions substantive democracy as a political project focused on innovation, human dignity, and long‑term social justice, where dialogue between elders and youth is crucial. In Africa, gerontocratic regimes often sideline young people from power, reinforcing inequality and stifling knowledge transfer. Segoun advocates for social innovation as a renewal engine—not just novelty, but reinventing practices that combine ancestral wisdom and youthful aspirations. He suggests creating institutional frameworks to foster tolerance, intergenerational ethics, and rites of passage, revitalizing governance and addressing authoritarian regime challenges.
Keywords :
Governance, Democracy, Dialogue, Gerontocracy
Organizations :
WATHI
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