Elite Consultation and Civil Society Participation in Africa, 2005–2023: Impact on Democratic Consolidation

Abstract Both democratic and undemocratic regimes consult the elite class, which shapes the government’s practices to ensure legitimacy. However, the increasing number of autocracies and military regimes in Africa, which limit political participation, necessitates an assessment of the impact of elites’ consultation on civil society participation. Does elite consultation contribute to the increasing democratization through increased civil society participation? This study examines the determinants of Civil Society Participation (CSP) in Africa by analyzing Elite Consultation (EC), Political and Social Integration (PSI), and Engaged Society (ES) using a hybridization of elite and pluralist theories examined through panel regression analysis and Granger causality. The findings indicate that elite consultation impact, at all quantile levels, and Granger causes civil society participation, while EC only significantly impacts participation at all quantile levels. PSI has minimal impact on participation, only established when civil society participation is flourishing. Therefore, elite participation should not always be perceived as manipulation, but rather it must be influenced in a direction that enhances inclusiveness and expansion of civic spaces and returns democracy.