2025 has been one of the most turbulent years for democracy in Africa. Across the continent, protests, disputed elections, and military takeovers exposed deep failures in governance. From deadly crackdowns on demonstrators to the rise of military-led governments, political instability has become a defining theme of the year.
As governance analyst Mo Ibrahim warned, “The increase in coups, the return of military governments, and the closing of democratic space all point to the same problem: a failure of governance.”
At the center of this crisis is a young population demanding change—and governments struggling or refusing to respond.
Rising Protests and Democratic Backsliding Across Africa
The year began with violence in Tanzania, where security forces shot protesters who were demonstrating against a disputed election. President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s 98% victory, widely criticized as fraudulent, stunned observers and
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