Abstract
Term limit changes are significantly linked to political instability in Africa. Yet, it is ignored as an issue in the trilateral cooperation between European Union (EU), China and Africa. Indeed, a central question that could face both the EU and China over term limits in Africa is the extent to which it is legitimate for them to take action against attempts to violate term limits. This paper is an attempt to consider joint EU and China influence on African politics from the perspective of term limits. Why and how have/should EU and China respond to term limits? How can a trilateral cooperation between EU, China and Africa help institutionalize the respect of term limits? With the help of qualitative and quantitative data from official communiqués, events, and reports, the paper considers term limits as major political issue EU, China and Africa must care about given that it is a major factor of State fragility and political instability. It finds that a grounded trilateral policy framework on term limits is not only possible in an EU-China-Africa cooperation, but can strengthen democratic institutions in the continent and reflect the genuine commitment of the EU and China to promote sustainable democracy and political stability in Africa. If the EU and China want sustainable development of Africa, then the issue of presidential term limits must be significantly addressed within a trilateral cooperation.
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Notes
Before 1990, only six African countries included constitutional term limits for heads of States. After 1990, the number rose to 33, an indication that the 1990s were the heydays of term limits in the continent.
It is only in few instances that Constitutional Courts have intervened to declare term limits unamenable or that parliament has outvoted/rejected a bill on term limits amendment or the introduction of unlimited terms. This happened in Burkina Faso in 2005 with Blaise Compaore and in Senegal in 2015 with Abdoulaye Wade. Apart from the Constitutional Courts, other continental bodies such as the AU and regional organisations have been surreptitiously silent over the issue.
Declining voter turnout and participation are linked to absence of term limits in the EU. There has been a steady decline in the average turnout per member state of the European parliament elections from 62% in 1979 down to 43% in 2014. In comparison over the same period, the average national election also declined to near 70%.
It is the National People’s Congress that has the powers to amend the constitution, supervise its enforcement and elect the President and Vice President (See Article 62).
In China, the National People’s Congress (NPC) performs the function of validating or invalidating a controversial candidacy as it is in charge of defining presidential mandate arrangements.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (President of Liberia from 2006 to 2018 and first African female president) received the Mo Ibrahim Leadership Prize in 2011 after duly serving her constitutionally mandated term. Although the prize was also awarded for her non-violent role in promoting the right and safety of women, it is also probably connected to her ability to have respected the presidential mandate. In any case, Liberia under Sirleaf can be quoted as an example where respect of term limit has worked, given that rather than changing the constitution, she stepped down after serving her second term.
Some individual EU countries have supported and have suspended African States with serious infringement on rule of law, democracy and human rights. France supported the addition of a suspension clause in the various conventions that guide EEC-Africa (see 366a of Lome Convention); it suspended cooperation with Togo in 1992 following the violent interruption of the democratic process by General Eyadema, President since 1967; with Zaire in 1991; France refused to protect Hissene Habre in Chad in 1990 and Moussa Traore in Mali in 1991; and suspended Niger when Colonel Ibrahim Bare Mainassara forced out of office the democratically elected head of State in January 1996.
However, the AU was relatively effective in dealing with unconstitutional changes of government through coups d’états.
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Suh I, F.N. Term limits in Africa between the European Union (EU) and China: Opportunities and challenges of trilateral cooperation in politics and governance. Asia Eur J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10308-024-00692-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10308-024-00692-2