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Post-conflict Elections

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The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Peace and Conflict Studies

Definition

Elections are central to peacebuilding, but poorly timed elections may have negative consequences for the consolidation of both peace and democracy. This chapter examines key issues of electoral timing: how soon to hold elections following hostilities, whether to sequence national- and local-level polls, and which models of electoral system and administration are most appropriate in post-conflict environments.

Since at least the end of the Cold War, elections have been an integral element of post-conflict peacebuilding. Indeed, international norms often seem to consider no other avenues for conferring legitimacy and authority on a new government, and for concluding international support missions. Elections also have broader effects on the post-conflict environment including the development of political parties, government stability, and the reconciliation of former warring groups. Decisions on electoral processes are therefore linked to many of the broader objectives of...

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Rafael López-Pintor, Electoral Management Bodies as Institutions of Governance (New York, NY: UNDP, 2000); International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, Electoral Management Design: The International IDEA Handbook (Stockholm: International IDEA 2006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia

    Benjamin Reilly

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  1. Benjamin Reilly
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Correspondence to Benjamin Reilly .

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    Sandra Pogodda

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    Gëzim Visoka

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    Oliver Richmond

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Reilly, B. (2019). Post-conflict Elections. In: The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Peace and Conflict Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11795-5_73-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11795-5_73-1

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-11795-5

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