The constitutions and paradoxes of electoral democracy: Lessons learned from recent elections in Gabon, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire

The recent presidential elections in Gabon, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire have once again revealed the structural crisis of postcolonial constitutional regimes. Indeed, beneath the veneer of pluralism and universal suffrage, these systems seem to perpetuate a form of symbolic and administrative domination that undermines political trust and strips democracy of its emancipatory content. The analysis shows that constitutions, far from being instruments for limiting power, often serve as distorting mirrors that legitimize power-grabbing regimes. Using a critical approach that combines constitutional law, political anthropology, and philosophy, this article seeks to rethink democracy based on contemporary African realities—marked by overlapping identities and loyalties, long historical memory, and consensus-based cultural practices.