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

Dirk Kohnert

EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, 2004, vol. 31, issue 99, 83-101

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.

Keywords: Elections; Election Observation; Madagascar; European Union (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: K16 O2 O55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:espost:181894

DOI: 10.1080/0305624042000258432

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