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What to Know About Gabon’s Coup

What to Know About Gabon’s Coup

Thursday, August 31, 2023

By: Archibald S. Henry;  Elizabeth Murray

On August 30, just hours after Gabon’s election commission announced that President Ali Bongo Ondimba had been elected to a third term, a group of Gabonese military officers from the elite presidential guard unit seized power and placed the president under arrest at his palace. Later that day, the officers declared General Brice Oligui Nguema as chairman of the transition. While the election itself had been marred by reports of irregularities, the officers’ coup marks the latest in a long line of recent military takeovers across the African continent that have jeopardized regional stability and security.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & Governance

Q&A: What Works in Preventing Election Violence

Q&A: What Works in Preventing Election Violence

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

By: USIP Staff

The elections this year in the Philippines, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and even the United States, demonstrate how high-stakes elections frequently trigger anxiety, tension or even violence or the threat of unrest. Properly managed elections allow opposing groups to press their claim to power through a peaceful process. But in fragile democracies, elections frequently feature intimidation or violent protest. U.S. Institute of Peace Senior Program Officer Jonas Claes, editor o...

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & PreventionGlobal Elections & ConflictDemocracy & GovernanceFragility & Resilience

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