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Election Observation in Nigeria and Madagascar: Diplomatic vs. Technocratic Bias

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  • Kohnert, Dirk

Abstract

International election observation has become a valuable means of supporting African democratic polity. Notably, EU observer missions adopting a professional approach are meant to shield against political pressures from partisan stakeholder interests. However, this growing professionalism did not necessarily lead to less biased observation results. Available evidence suggests that in crucial cases, the origin and orientation of the bias changed from 'diplomatic' to 'technocratic'. The latter can be as least as damaging to the declared aims of election observation as the former. Two outstanding examples, the observation of transitional elections in Nigeria and Madagascar, will serve to illustrate this hypothesis and its consequences for the necessary reorientation of election observation methodology.

Suggested Citation

  • Kohnert, Dirk, 2004. "Election Observation in Nigeria and Madagascar: Diplomatic vs. Technocratic Bias," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 31(99), pages 83-101.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:espost:181894
    DOI: 10.1080/0305624042000258432
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kohnert, Dirk, 1995. "New Markets for Local Experts in Africa?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 63-74.
    2. Susanne Greiter & Heinz Jockers & Eckart Rohde, 1998. "Wahlbeobachtung in Nigeria. Eindrücke einer EU/UN-Beobachtergruppe in den Bundesstaaten Benue, Taraba und Bornu, Februar 1999," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 33(3), pages 339-349.
    3. Kohnert, Dirk, 1992. "Können die Experten das, was sie sollen? Schwachstellen des sozio-kulturellen Rahmenkonzeptes des BMZ," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 33(7), pages 4-5.
    4. Heinz Jockers & Ralph-Michael Peters & Eckart Rohde, 2003. "Wahlen und Wahlbeobachtung in Nigeria, März-Mai 2003," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 38(1), pages 79-97.
    5. Abdul Mustapha, 1999. "The Nigerian transition: third time lucky or more of the same?," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(80), pages 277-291.
    6. Ralph-Michael Peters, 2002. "Machtwechsel in Kenya - Oppositionssieg im dritten Anlauf," Africa Spectrum, Institute of African Affairs, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 37(3), pages 335-350.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kohnert, Dirk, 2015. "Donor’s double talk undermines African agency: Comparative study of civic agency in Burkina Faso and Togo," MPRA Paper 67093, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Elections; Election Observation; Madagascar; European Union;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K16 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Election Law
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • O2 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy

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