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Vicious Cycles. Candidate Selection, Vertical Accountability, and MPs’ Performance in Sierra Leone

Anja Osei – 2022

Sierra Leone is a successful case of postconflict democratization, but citizens' trust in parliament is low. Using qualitative and quantitative data, this article examines the relationship between MPs and their constituencies. Given the fierceness of the competition at the level of party primaries, aspiring MPs make promises they cannot keep. Confronted with unrealistic expectations, they reduce their presence in the constituency to a minimum. As a result, dissatisfaction increases, and disappointing MPs are voted out of office. The high turnover rate weakens the institutional memory and law-making capacities of parliament, thus creating even more disillusionment. In the long run, the continuation of this cycle may break the links between voters and political representatives.

Title
Vicious Cycles. Candidate Selection, Vertical Accountability, and MPs’ Performance in Sierra Leone
Author
Publisher
Africa Today
Keywords
Peer-reviewed Journal
Date
2022
Identifier
doi.org/10.2979/africatoday.68.3.06
Citation
Osei, A. 2022: Vicious Cycles. Candidate Selection, Vertical Accountability, and MPs’ Performance in Sierra Leone, Africa Today, 68(3): 109-129, doi.org/10.2979/africatoday.68.3.06.
Type
Text