In its recent elections, Ghana’s acclaimed democracy underwent something of a stress test, which it passed by reaching three important milestones. First, the relatively peaceful transfer of power from incumbent to opposition. Second, the election of Ghana’s first ever woman vice president. And third, a first outing for the new affirmative action act, signed into law only months before the election. However, in this election the legislation’s aim of empowering women in politics paid off more in rhetoric than in actual numbers.
Democracy is challenged across the globe. However, summing up the elections held last year across Africa, there are some positive signs. Five democracies (Botswana, Ghana, Senegal, Somaliland and Mauritius) held elections that ended with incumbent presidents handing over power peacefully to successful opposition candidates. And one country(South Africa) saw the end of three decades of single-party rule. Altogether, these six elections show proof of democratic resilience in Africa and bring hope of a trend reversal.