66% of Africans prefer democracy & accountable governance – Afrobarometer survey

Across 36 African countries surveyed in 2021-2022, two-thirds (66%) of citizens say they prefer democracy to any other system of government, and even more reject non-democratic alternatives such as one-man rule (80%), one-party rule (78%), and military rule (67%). Africans also strongly endorse many of the norms, institutions, and practices associated with democratic governance, such as choosing political leaders through the ballot box (75%), placing constitutional limits on presidential tenure (74%), multiparty competition (64%), free media (65%), and holding government accountable (61%).

However, Afrobarometer Digital Portfolio Manager Shannon van Wyk-Khosa noted a “great disillusionment between the youth and those who govern them. Shannon van Wyk-Khosa believes that many African youth feel they are not being listened to by their governments.

Compared to their elders, the youth are even more critical of institutional corruption and show considerable distrust in public institutions. They are also more likely than their elders (by 10 percentage points compared to those over age 55) to express a willingness to tolerate military intervention if elected leaders abuse their power.