Democratic Institutions must once again live up to their promises! Exploring ways to (re)connect youth and democracy in Africa

Democracy is not just about casting a ballot. It is a promise — the promise that every citizen, regardless of social status, age, gender, economic situation, or background, can participate in shaping their country’s future.

In Africa, this promise takes on particular significance. Our continent is the youngest in the world, with more than 60% of its population under the age of 25. Yet this demographic reality is not yet sufficiently reflected in political decision-making forums.

Côte d’Ivoire is a prime example of this paradox. With an estimated population of 30 million — the majority of whom are young (more than 77% of the population) — our country has 8,727,431 voters registered on the final 2025 voter list, yet only 30% of them are young people. But behind these electoral figures, which are out of step with demographic reality, lies a deeper question:

Why are young people less interested in public affairs?

This is a question that extends far beyond the borders of Côte d’Ivoire.

Across the continent, young people are voicing strong expectations regarding justice, employment, education, dignity, transparency, and representation. Their distancing from certain political institutions should not automatically be interpreted as disinterest but rather as the result of a series of disappointments, broken promises, and a crisis of confidence in state institutions. As an illustration, I point to the low voter turnout of 38.02% in the most recent legislative elections held on September 23, 2026, in Morocco (Ministry of the Interior). This contrasts with turnout rates of 50.35% in 2021 and 42.27% in 2016. Low turnout reflects high abstention rates and mistrust among young people, who have expressed their disappointment with politicians.

A democracy that makes promises but fails to bring about any noticeable improvement in daily life ultimately breeds frustration and dissent. In 2025, Gen Z overthrew President Andry Rajoelina amid protests sparked by water shortages and power outages in Madagascar.

Despite the setbacks young people face, some of them are now getting involved through social media, organizations, civic movements, community initiatives, or ad hoc mobilizations.

Young people don’t just want to be heard. They aspire to participate, to make proposals, to make decisions, and to contribute directly to shaping the future of our societies.

A famous saying goes: Whatever is done for us without us is against us.

We must therefore open political parties, parliaments, local governments, public institutions, and forums for dialogue more widely to a new generation.

This also means giving more responsibility to young women, people with disabilities, rural populations, and all those who are too often excluded from decision-making centers.

African youth must no longer be viewed solely as the generation of tomorrow. They are the ones already experiencing the consequences of the decisions made today.

Reconnecting young people with democracy also means ensuring that institutions take concrete action to address their concerns—namely, protecting freedoms, upholding the rule of law, fighting corruption, and creating opportunities—in order to gradually restore trust. The continent’s recent experience shows, moreover, that African democracy remains vibrant. In 2024, several countries experienced peaceful transitions of power, notably Botswana, Ghana, Mauritius, and Senegal. The UNDP also notes an average African voter turnout of 60.26% in the 2024 elections. We must therefore not view Africa solely through the lens of democratic crises.

Respect for constitutions: An essential condition for political stability and genuine social peace.

What becomes of democracy when the democratic rules themselves are no longer respected?

A constitution cannot be viewed as merely a tool to serve the interests of those currently in power. It must be the common framework that protects institutions, guarantees freedoms, and ensures the peaceful transfer of power. Failure to respect the constitution, manipulation of electoral rules, or constitutional amendments designed to circumvent term limits can severely undermine citizens’ trust in institutions and lead to unrest in the country. Take the case of Senegal in 2023–2024, when outgoing President Macky Sall sought to run for a third term and postpone the presidential election, sparking a wave of protests that resulted in some 60 deaths across the country.

When citizens feel that the rules can be changed to allow certain individuals to retain power, the very credibility of democracy is undermined. Alpha Condé in Guinea, Conakry, forced through a third term in defiance of the constitution and was subsequently overthrown in a coup.

That is why I hope to see an Africa emerge where constitutions are respected, where power transitions occur through the ballot box rather than by force, and where no one views power as a personal or permanent possession. Coups d’état must not become a response to the shortcomings of democracy. But we must also be clear-eyed enough to understand that a democracy that strips its own rules of their substance can contribute to fostering mistrust, frustration, and instability. The response to democratic crises should therefore be neither the seizure of power by a minority nor its overthrow by force. It must be a return to fundamental principles: Respect for the Constitution, credible elections, peaceful transfers of power, separation of powers, an independent judiciary, freedom of the press, and the protection of civil liberties.

I believe deeply in an Africa that respects its laws, one that is not held hostage by dictatorships, coups, or arbitrary rule.

I believe in an Africa where every citizen—male and female—can freely express their opinions, thoughts, and convictions without being harassed, persecuted, or forced to fear for their lives because of their views.

For Côte d’Ivoire, as for Africa, democracy is an extraordinary opportunity. Why?

Because our societies are mosaics. We are made up of different peoples, ethnic groups, cultures, languages, religions, and backgrounds. We come from different histories; we have different identities, but we are called upon to live together in the same countries. This diversity is a source of richness. But it can also become a source of tension when it is exploited for political ends. It is precisely for this reason that democracy is essential. It provides us with a peaceful framework for managing our differences. It allows our political, social, cultural, or identity-based differences to be expressed in public debate rather than turning into confrontations.

Democracy does not eliminate our differences. It teaches us to live with them. It transforms political conflict into debate, competition into peaceful transition of power, and anger into civic advocacy. Without institutions capable of managing this diversity, without freedom of expression, without an independent judiciary, and without credible mechanisms for peaceful transition of power, our differences can become sources of division and tension. 

Democracy is therefore also an instrument of peace, for it allows us to remain different without becoming enemies. Africa must be a democratic continent in which institutions are stronger than individuals and in which rules are more important than those who enforce them.

Freedom of expression holds a special place in this vision. A true democracy cannot be afraid of dissent. Citizens must be able to criticize their government, question a public decision, propose an alternative vision, or defend a conviction without fear of being persecuted for their opinions. Controversial debate is not a threat to the Republic; it is one of its safeguards.

A democratic society must be able to withstand criticism without viewing every dissenting voice as an enemy. That, too, is what democratic dignity is all about.

Youth at the Heart of Transformation

Young people must no longer be viewed solely as a voting bloc or as a mobilizing force during campaigns. They must be present in the places where decisions are made. 

In parliaments, local governments, political parties, government agencies, public and private companies, and civil society organizations.

And above all, in the spaces where the future of our nations is taking shape.

An African youth capable of championing common causes

Reconnecting youth with democracy also means enabling them to transcend national borders to build solidarity around challenges that affect the entire continent. African youth should not merely be viewed as a demographic group to be represented in institutions; they can become a true force for proposals and action on a continental scale.

The major challenges of our time do not stop at borders: Climate change, insecurity, youth unemployment, migration, access to education, digital transformation, health, the fight against inequality, and conflict prevention. On these issues, young Africans have much to gain by uniting their voices, sharing their experiences, and championing common causes.

We must therefore encourage the emergence of an African civic space in which young people—from Dakar to Nairobi, from Abidjan to Johannesburg, from Gaborone to Addis Ababa—can engage in dialogue, mobilize, and put forward proposals together. This cooperation must not erase the diversity of our societies, our cultures, and our histories. On the contrary, it must turn this diversity into a strength in the service of common goals.

A more connected, organized, and responsible African youth could thus help foster a new democratic culture: A democracy that is not limited to election cycles, but one that allows citizens to participate on an ongoing basis in the decisions that shape their future.

In this diverse, pluralistic, and young Africa, learning to live together while respecting our differences is perhaps one of the greatest promises that democracy can still fulfill.