Political Parties in African Constitutions: Expectation and Suspicion

Abstract Multi-party systems play an important role in African democracy and constitutionalism. Against the African backdrop, political parties are indispensable in promoting constitutional values, enhancing political stability and realizing the effectiveness of constitutions. Recognizing the importance of political parties, African constitutions introduce many provisions confirming rights relating to political parties, recognizing their central role in elections, enhancing the internal solidarity of the parties and protecting the opposition. Meanwhile, due to concern regarding the negative impact of party politics, African constitutions also show hesitation about public funding to political parties, set controls on their programmes and organization, and demand many public office holders to be party neutral. Therefore, in African constitutions one can find a high expectation on political parties as constitutional institutions, while deep suspicion against them as individual organizations, which reflects the dilemma that African constitutionalism and democracy is facing in its development.