Assessing Presidential Leadership in Africa: Case of Eritrea

The emergence of Eritrea as an independent state in 1993 attracted attention of both scholars and policymakers, as it presented a unique real-time opportunity to monitor the initial formation of a State in the 21st century. It was especially vital to observe this case of ongoing creation and development of new state institutions with a view to the worldwide debate on strengths and weaknesses of authoritarian rule in a post-Cold War rule and its prospects. The once-democratically elected and internationally monitored regime of Isaias Afeworki – the current President of Eritrea – remains diplomatically and broadly recognized as a legitimate one, however the grievances of its people. Even the influx of Eritrean refugees to Europe and a catastrophy near Lampeduza island of Italy in 2015 did not help to attract attention to the case of illegitimacy of the incumbent government of Eritrea and its regime overall. For many researchers, the issue of a political regime type in this newly formed state became a point of divergence. Within first years after gaining independence it became clear that Eritrea’s choice was for authoritarianism, and not any other type. In 2016, after 23 years of statebuilding (including 1998-2000 war with Ethiopia), Eritrea remains stable and\yet authoritarian. Thus, a question rises on how and if Eritrea still maintains its consistency – both internally and externally – and whether there are any risks rooted in it. Focus of this paper is on the type of presidential leadership and power that the incumbent Eritrea' President Afeworki exploits and its discontents. Also, the efficacies and disruptions of this type of leadership in Eritrean context are assessed, as well as the evolution of the regime and ways Afeworki has amended his presidential leadership type from democratic in 1993 to authoritarian and almost dictatorial today. This paper overlooks the 23 years’ period of developments in domestic policies in Eritrea and aims to overview the main pillars, as well as discontents and perspectives, of upholding authoritarian rule in this country with almost absolute power vested in the office of the President with a view to implications for regional security in North-East Africa.