Top 10 African countries with the highest freedom to vote without pressure

2024 is undoubtedly a critical year for Africa, with elections taking place in at least 17 countries across the continent.

So far, the year has seen a mix of outcomes. Some leaders have been re-elected, while new leaders have emerged, including Bassirou Diomaye Faye in Senegal, the youngest elected executive on a continent ruled largely by elderly men.

However, not all electoral plans are proceeding as expected. For instance, elections for restoring democratic civilian governance in junta-led countries like Burkina Faso and Mali, have been postponed.

The focus on the quality and legitimacy of these elections is paramount. According to Afrobarometer, the majority of Africans (75%) view elections as the best method for selecting their leaders. More than six in ten citizens support the electoral process in all surveyed countries except Lesotho, where support stands at 44%.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Africans want multiparty competition to ensure that voters have real choices in who governs them. But there is a weakening support for elections – a decline of 8 percentage points over the past decade – is one of the troubling trends in popular commitment to democratic norms and practices.

This may reflect some disillusionment after too many elections marred by low quality, disputes, and/or violence, or a recognition that elections by themselves don’t guarantee accountable governance or reliable public services. Citizens’ assessment of their most recent national elections as largely free and fair is down by 7 points since 2011/2013, from 66% to 59%.

One bright light shining across these challenges is that almost nine in 10 Africans say they are “somewhat free” (20%) or “completely free” (65%) to vote for the candidate of their choice without feeling pressured. This sense of freedom reaches 97% in the Gambia, Zambia, and Sierra Leone.