Here is my latest in the Huffington Post with Brian Klass about what electoral violence and manipulation in Madagascar have to say about larger issues throughout Africa.
Only amateurs steal elections on election day anymore. Today, the pros manipulate elections long before the voting begins -- making sure the playing field is so uneven that election day rigging is unnecessary.In Africa and around the developing world, election-day rigging is amateur hour. International observers easily detect ballot box stuffing. Other forms of pre-election manipulation, however, remain shrouded in an opportunistic cloud, allowing strongmen to do their dirty work and get away with it.Let's be clear: this is not to say that Madagascar's election was stolen. We don't know if it was, because there was so little transparency surrounding critical aspects of democratic fairness. Western governments also need to recognize that elections are a step forward, not a panacea. Madagascar's election did nothing to change the underlying dynamics that sparked the crisis. Grenade attacks, bleeding protestors, and Putin-esque power grabs make clear that the crisis is not over. International pressure should address the causes of toxic politics, not just the symptoms.America can help. During President Obama's tour of Africa last year, he promised that to build global democracy, America is "interested in investing not in strongmen, but in strong institutions." But until the lessons from Madagascar's December 20 vote are learned and policies are adapted accordingly, strongmen will win, democratic institutions will lose, and America's promise will remain empty words.