Democratisation by Protest?

In the past decade, numerous scholars have focused their attention on explaining why post-electoral protests succeed. The interest in the success of post-election protests is often driven by the belief that “successful” protests may lead to the development of democracy. Over time, this view has become equally popular among academics and policy makers; many observers have not only praised post-election protest in countries where they took place but also but have also encouraged other countries to follow suit. This paper examines which methods are used to settle post-election challenges and what impact both successful and failed protests as well as their resolution strategies have on the future of political parties and democratic development in the country. The paper contributes to the growing literature on the consequences of electoral manipulation and post-election protests.