Publication

This report analyzes Round 1 Afrobarometer survey data from respondents in 12 countries on attitudes toward the results of competitive elections. It demonstrates that losers are less inclined than winners to trust their political institutions, or consent to government authority. It also highlights that losers are more eager than winners to defend their institutions against manipulation by elected officials. The author investigates the hypothesis that winners and losers express different levels of political support because they view elections differently. The results suggest that efforts to ensure free and fair elections will have a limited effect on building political legitimacy in emerging democracies.