Updated April 27, 2020
African Elections in 2020
At the start of the year, 21 African countries were slated to hold presidential and/or parliamentary polls in 2020. Scheduled
election dates are listed below. Some may be subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other factors.
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African Elections in 2020
Country Election Snapshots
is widely viewed as a step toward running for a third term.
Opposition parties led anti-referendum protests and boycotted
Burkina Faso (Presidential & Parliamentary, Nov. 22)
the vote. State security forces have al egedly opened fire on anti-
President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré is expected to seek
third-term protests and arrested prominent activists.
reelection amid a growing Islamist insurgency and ethnic violence.
Rising violence has undercut the initial optimism of the country's
Niger (Presidential & Parliamentary, Dec. 27)
2014-2015 democratic transition from authoritarian rule.
President Mahamadou Issoufou, elected in 2011 after a military
coup, is expected to step down after two terms. This could lead
Burundi (Presidential & Parliamentary, May 20)
to the first-ever democratic transition between two elected
President Pierre Nkurunziza—whose contested reelection to a
presidents in Niger, a key U.S. and European security partner in
third term in 2015 set off a violent national crisis—has publicly
West Africa’s increasingly conflict-ridden Sahel region.
committed to step down in favor of ruling party nominee Evariste
Ndayishimiye. Security forces and ruling party militias continue to
Malawi (Presidential, due by July 2)
repress opposition supporters, the media, and civil society.
Malawi's Constitutional Court annul ed the May 2019 presidential
Whether Nkurunziza’s successor might open political space or
election in February 2020—in which incumbent President Peter
renew ties with Western donors remains in doubt.
Mutharika narrowly won reelection—citing extensive
irregularities and electoral commission incompetence. The court
Cameroon (Parliamentary, Feb. 9)
ordered a new election by July under a 50%-plus-one electoral
Cameroon’s main opposition party boycotted legislative and
system (to be established by the legislature); it found the current
municipal elections held in February amid a separatist insurgency
plurality-based system to be unconstitutional. It also ordered a
in the country’s west, Islamist violence in the north, a crackdown
reversion to the pre-election status quo, al owing President
on civil space, and substantial pre-election violence against
Mutharika to retain his post.
candidates and supporters. Low turnout and al egations of fraud
marred the pol s. The National Assembly is general y viewed as a
Mali (Parliamentary, March-April)
rubber stamp for long-time President Paul Biya.
Legislative elections were held on March 29 after two years of
delays due to Islamist insurgent threats and protracted disputes
Central African Republic (Presidential & Parliamentary, Dec. 27)
regarding implementation of a 2015 peace accord with northern
President Faustin Archange Touadera is expected to run for a
separatists. The kidnapping of a top opposition leader, reportedly
second term amid strains in the government’s 2019 peace
by a local Al Qaeda-aligned network, further marred the
agreement with rebel groups and growing Russian influence. Most
of the country remains outside of central government control.
elections. Many districts held run-offs on April 19; turnout was
reportedly low.
Côte d'Ivoire (Presidential, Oct. 31)
Seychelles (Presidential, due by November)
President Alassane Ouattara has pledged to step down at the end
President Danny Faure may face an uphil reelection battle. His
of his second term, al aying concerns that he would attempt to
predecessor resigned in 2016 after the opposition Seychel es
circumvent constitutional term limits. At the same time, his
Democratic Al iance won a parliamentary majority. Executive-
government has moved to restrict political freedoms and sideline
legislative political gridlock has since prevailed.
key opposition figures. Francophone West Africa’s top economic
performer, Côte d'Ivoire has never had a peaceful transfer of
Tanzania (Presidential & Parliamentary, Oct. 4)
power between democratical y elected heads of state.
Under President John Magufuli, who is expected to seek
reelection, the government has imposed increasingly severe
Ethiopia (Parliamentary, postponed from Aug. 29 due to COVID-19)
restrictions on the opposition and civil liberties general y,
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who welcomed the return of exiled
including during local elections in 2019. Zanzibar, a
opposition groups after he took office in 2018, wil seek a popular
semiautonomous region with a history of political interference in
mandate for his sweeping reform agenda in elections that have
elections and violently contested results, also is to hold
been postponed, possibly to early 2021, due to COVID-19.
simultaneous presidential and legislative pol s, likely in October.
Political forces are realigning amid the breakup of the ruling
Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)
Togo (Presidential, Feb. 22)
coalition. Most of its member parties merged into a new party led
President Faure Gnassingbé, in office since succeeding his father
by Abiy in late 2019. Key opposition parties accepted the pol
in 2005, won reelection to a fourth term, as permitted under a
delay, but cal ed for consultations on an interim governing
2019 constitutional amendment. Protracted large protests cal ing
arrangement when parliament’s term ends in October.
for Gnassingbé’s resignation shook the country in 2017-2018.
Ghana (Presidential & Parliamentary, due by December)
Parliamentary elections are also expected in Chad (December),
President Nana Akufo-Addo is slated to seek reelection against
Egypt (November), Gabon (late 2020), Liberia (October),
former President John Mahama, while their respective political
Namibia (November), and Somalia (late 2020 or early 2021).
parties vie for parliamentary control. Elections have become
Comoros President Azali Assoumani’s party won a
institutionalized in Ghana since a transition to multiparty rule in
parliamentary majority in January pol s the opposition boycotted.
the early 1990s, under a de-facto two-party system.
Sarah R. Collins, Coordinator, Research Assistant
Guinea (Parliamentary, March 22; Presidential, October)
Alexis Arieff, Specialist in African Affairs
Second-term President Alpha Condé successful y pushed for a
Lauren Ploch Blanchard, Specialist in African Affairs
constitutional referendum on March 22, after multiple delays and
despite regional criticism over the voter registry and unresolved
Nicolas Cook, Specialist in African Affairs
political tensions. Legislative elections were held simultaneously
Tomas F. Husted, Analyst in African Affairs
after two years of delays. Condé’s support for a new constitution
IF11427
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African Elections in 2020
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11427 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED