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Post-Conflict Elections and the Process of Demilitarizing Politics: the Role of Electoral Administration

Author: T Lyons
Date: 2004
Size: 36 pages (1.5 MB)

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Summary

How can the process of peace implementation increase opportunities for post-conflict elections to promote the dual goals of war termination and democratisation? This article from the journal ‘Democratization’ tackles this question by examining interim regimes in general, and electoral administrations in particular, in seven post-conflict countries. It argues that when these institutions are based on joint problem solving and consultation they may demilitarise politics and help transform institutions to sustain peace and democratisation.

To the extent that politics is demilitarised during the post-conflict transitional period, elections are more likely to yield a political order that can sustain peace and democracy. Transitional arrangements are a crucial arena where ex-combatants assess whether the post-conflict environment will protect their interests, and whether they will support peace building and elections. Interim regimes built around joint decision-making bodies that foster confidence can structure competition towards a path of democracy and peace.

Unless politics is demilitarised before elections a legacy of fear may remain powerful and the election may become a referendum on peace. Such elections may ratify the institutions of war, rather than provide the basis for peace and democratisation.

• Peace building begins on the foundations of transitional institutions, norms, precedents and expectations created in the interim period between the ceasefire and inauguration of the new government.
• If these transitional institutions are organised around collaborative decision-making processes, parties may develop a sense of partnership, and a joint interest in managing risk and marginalising extremists.
• Electoral administration is a core task of transitional regimes. If it does not address the fears and mistrust of key parties, it may reignite conflict. Each step will be interpreted suspiciously, and inevitable technical problems are liable to become political problems.
• Recently warring parties tend to concentrate on short-term issues of security and vulnerability in the first election, rather than long-term agendas of political inclusion and accountability.
• Perceptions of whether returning to war better serves a party’s interests will not be formed by legal provisions or guarantees by third parties. They will rather be formed by their experience of the interim institutions and whether they create confidence in the process.

The second half of the article reviews some experiences with post-conflict elections, and makes some recommendations for the international community. All major parties should have a role in overseeing or engaging in decisions relating to elections.

• In Angola there was a lack of interim political institutions that could serve as a mechanism for joint decision-making, reinforcing suspicion. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the multi-ethnic electoral commission was dominated by international concerns.
• In Liberia, in spite of an electoral commission representing the main factions, lack of time, resources and experience coupled with international pressure inhibited joint problem solving. In Tajikistan the government managed the election process unilaterally and to its advantage, to the detriment of democratisation.
• In Cambodia there was a relatively strong interim regime that contained incentives for collaboration. However, the elections were administered largely by the United Nations.
• In Mozambique, the interim election administration was a balanced, independent and wholly Mozambican organisation, based on joint decision making. Both parties accepted the election result. In El Salvador, a strong and consultative interim administration facilitated negotiated compromises between parties and the demilitarisation of politics.
• The international community should put more emphasis on processes that shape how parties to conflict relate to each other during transition. A well-run election that does not promote demilitarisation risks reinforcing organisations of war.
• Peace agreements should be understood as starting points for another series of negotiations, rather than blueprints to be realised.

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Source: Lyons, T., 2004, 'Post-Conflict Elections and the Process of Demilitarizing Politics: The Role of Electoral Administration', Democratization, vol. 11, no. 3