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Peaceful transition of power

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A peaceful transition or transfer of power is a concept important to democratic governments in which the leadership of a government peacefully hands over control of government to a newly-elected leadership. This may be after elections or during the transition from a different kind of political regime, such as the post-communist period after the fall of the Soviet Union.[1]

In scholarship examining democratization and emerging democracies, study of the successful transitions of power is used to understand the transition to constitutional democracy and the relative stability of that government.[2][3][4][5] A 2014 study concluded that 68 countries had never had a peaceful transition of power due to an election since 1788.[6][1]

Democratization studies

President-elect Ronald Reagan is sworn in as president of the United States in a symbolic peaceful transfer of power in 1981.

In scholarship examining democratization and emerging democracies, study of the successful transitions of power is used to understand the transition to constitutional democracy and the relative stability of that government (democratic consolidation).[2][3][4][5]

A 2014 study by Adam Przeworski of 3,000 elections from 1788 to 2008, published in the journal Comparative Political Studies concluded that 68 countries (including Russia and China) had never had a peaceful transition of power between parties following an election, making it a "rare and a recent practice."[6][1] The same study found that once a country has an initial peaceful transfer of power (an "alternation"), it is very likely to keep doing so, making the peaceful transition of power a habit-forming activity.[6][1] In a stable institutionalized democracy, a peaceful transition is the expected outcome of an election.[6][1]

Peaceful transitions require a number of strong democratic institutions and norms to exist, such as the willingness of opposition parties to serve as a loyal opposition. Transitions by election put power holders in vulnerable positions, as not only do they risk potential changes in policy and practice and thus their means of power, but they also risk political retribution or retaliation.[7]

By region

The first peaceful transition of power in a country is often treated as an important stage in a government transition towards democracy such as seen in elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[8] Successful transitions during tense political moments such as the Velvet Revolution in Armenia in 2018 are interpreted as signs of improved governance within the country, an important milestone in democratization and functioning civil society.[9] Alternately, the lack of peaceful transfers of power, such as in elections in Georgia from 1995 to 2008 in which the only transition between presidents was via the 2003 Rose Revolution, may harm the international reputation of the country as a "democracy".[10]

Africa

Since achieving independence from European colonial powers, Africa has had a mixed record in achieving peaceful transitions of power, with variations among nations.[11]

The first peaceful transition of power between civilians in Nigeria took place in 2007, although the outgoing and incoming presidents were of the same party and the preceding election was characterized by widespread irregularities.[12] In 2018, Liberia had its first electoral transfer of power since 1944.[13] The first peaceful transition of power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo took place in 2019, with outgoing president Joseph Kabila yielding power to opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi.[14] The first transition of power from one democratically elected leader to another in Niger took place in 2021, briefly overcoming the nation's history of coups d'etat[15] before another military coup occurred in 2023.[16]

Asia

Indonesia

Symbolism

The symbol of peaceful transition of power is when the outgoing president and/or vice president, after their respective successors recite the oath of office, switch chairs, so that the incumbent president is on the furthest left side of the altar at the People's Consultative Assembly main session's room, and the sitting vice president is immediately on the right side of the speaker and deputies speaker's desk. As of 2022, starting in 1978, the vice presidents always did this symbolic transfer when there was no vacancy in the office except in 2004, when Hamzah Haz did not attend the ceremony, and in 2009, when Jusuf Kalla was already seated on the furthest right side so no switch was needed. For presidents, as of 2022, this symbol of peaceful transition happened only twice, in 1999 during the inauguration of Abdurrahman Wahid, and in 2014 for the first inauguration of Joko Widodo.

Europe

Georgia

The transfer of power resulting from the 2012 Georgian parliamentary election was considered an important case of peaceful transfer of power in the post-Soviet political development of Georgia, which, since the Soviet period, had earlier gone through changes such as the Rose Revolution in 2003.[10]

North America

Orange Man Bad

South America

In Venezuela in 1958, the Puntofijo Pact allowed a political agreement to respect the election results,[17] allowing for a peaceful transition of power after the ouster of dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez and during the country's democratic period.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Peaceful transitions of power have been rare in modern states, but once the habit has been acquired it sticks". EUROPP. 26 November 2014. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b Graham, Emmanuel (July 2017). "The Third Peaceful Transfer of Power and Democratic Consolidation in Ghana" (PDF). Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies. 10 (5): 99–127. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b Tamarkin, M. (1979). "From Kenyatta to Moi: The Anatomy of a Peaceful Transition of Power". Africa Today. 26 (3): 21–37. ISSN 0001-9887. JSTOR 4185874.
  4. ^ a b Mangu, Andre Mbata B. (1 June 2004). "DR Congo: the long road from war to peace and challenges for peaceful transition and national reconstruction". Africa Insight. 34 (2_3): 31–38. ISSN 0256-2804. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b Ahmed, Jasem Mohamad (2012). "Democracy and the problem of peaceful transfer of power". Journal of Al-Frahedis Arts. 04 (10). Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d Przeworski, Adam (1 January 2015). "Acquiring the Habit of Changing Governments Through Elections". Comparative Political Studies. 48 (1): 101–129. doi:10.1177/0010414014543614. ISSN 0010-4140. S2CID 154441890. (subscription required)
  7. ^ Sutter, Daniel (1995). "Settling Old Scores: Potholes along the Transition from Authoritarian Rule". The Journal of Conflict Resolution. 39 (1): 110–128. doi:10.1177/0022002795039001005. ISSN 0022-0027. JSTOR 174324. S2CID 145445935.
  8. ^ "First peaceful transfer of power possible in the DRC: regional focus - East Africa". Africa Conflict Monitor. 2017 (Feb 2017): 35–39. 1 February 2017. ISSN 2311-6943. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  9. ^ Yayloyan, Diana (28 February 2019). "A Peaceful Transition of Power and Public's Expectations in Armenia". Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020 – via Think-Asia.
  10. ^ a b "Peaceful transfer of political power and its characteristics in Georgia. The Georgian parliamentary elections of 2012". Instrument Bibliometric National. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  11. ^ O’Hanlon, Michael; Brigety, Reuben; Opalo, Ken (27 November 2018). "Power transitions in Africa". Brookings. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  12. ^ "A First in Nigeria: A Peaceful Succession of Power". The New York Times. Associated Press. 30 May 2007. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  13. ^ Tomas F. Husted, "Liberia: Background and U.S. Relations", Congressional Research Service (February 14, 2020), p. 5. Archived 11 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ^ Mwanamilongo, Saleh (24 January 2019). "New Congo president marks first peaceful transfer of power". Christian Science Monitor. Associated Press. ISSN 0882-7729. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  15. ^ Dalatou Mamane, "Niger inaugurates president in 1st democratic power transfer", Associated Press (April 2, 2021). Archived 11 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ^ "Niger's president 'held by guards' in apparent coup attempt". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  17. ^ Corrales, Javier (1 January 2001). "Strong Societies, Weak Parties: Regime Change in Cuba and Venezuela in the 1950s and Today". Latin American Politics and Society. 43 (2): 81–113. doi:10.2307/3176972. JSTOR 3176972.
  18. ^ Márquez, Laureano; Eduardo, Sanabria (2018). "¡Por fin, democracia!". Historieta de Venezuela: De Macuro a Maduro (1st ed.). Gráficas Pedrazas. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-7328777-1-9.
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