Reclaiming democratic spaces in the Sahel

Democratic governance in the Sahel (the semi-arid zone south of the Sahara Desert in North Africa) has experienced a deepening crisis over the past decade, marked by successive military takeovers, attacks on civic space and declining public trust in democratic institutions to deliver essential services. In some cases, overlapping security crises (such as communal violence and organized crime) have been used by military leaders to justify the seizure of power. These developments, compounded with new geopolitical alliances — and competing political narratives — have encouraged governments to deprioritize democratic principles and processes in favor of the promise of stability. Military rule, however, has not resulted in either improved security or service delivery for ordinary people.

Youth, community members and civil society actors continue to mobilize, resist and adapt. However, their strategies, narratives and resilience mechanisms remain largely undocumented and underexplored. This project will investigate how democratic norms can regain legitimacy, how youth can be mobilized in a positive way for democracy and what new coalitions can be built for democratic renewal and inclusive governance.

The research will explore how authoritarianism reshapes civic space and democratic legitimacy, including the effects of repression and disinformation on pro-democracy organizations and community members. It will examine the strategies these groups use to adapt and build resilience, such as digital mobilization and transnational solidarity networks. It will also investigate how youth and marginalized communities perceive and engage with democracy, focusing on narratives shaped by lived experiences and aspirations.

The project will identify concrete ways forward for a democratic future in the Sahel, with recommendations for the roles of local, regional and international decision-makers in enabling democratic practices within a shifting geopolitical landscape. Research will be conducted through a combination of in-country interviews, diaspora engagement and digital ethnography, with a strong emphasis on participatory methods and civic-tech tools. The project will also leverage regional networks to disseminate findings and support coordinated use of the findings.