Are former rebel parties more likely to engage in electoral violence in Africa?

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this paper, we examine whether former rebel parties are more likely to engage in electoral violence than other parties. Using an original data set of 236 parties in 18 countries in Sub Saharan Africa (of which 47 were former rebel groups) from 1990-2018, we find that former rebel parties in Africa are more likely to engage in electoral violence than other political parties. Further, we do find, after conducting an analysis of the Burundian case, that former rebel parties that possess “violence capital” are more likely to engage in electoral violence than other rebel groups that have less or no violence capital. We discuss the implications of these findings regarding the impact of rebel party inclusion on the post-conflict political process.