Vicious Cycles
Candidate Selection, Vertical Accountability, and MPs' Performance in Sierra Leone
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5111647 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Anja Osei (0000-0002-8087-7333, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 109-129 |
| Publication date | 2022-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Africa Today (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0001-9887 • E-ISSN: 1527-1978 |
| Publisher | Indiana University Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2979/africatoday.68.3.06 |
| OpenAlex | W4365806681 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 10 |
Sierra Leone is a successful case of postconflict democratization, but citizens' trust in parliament is low. Using qualitative and quantitative data, this article examines the relationship between MPs and their constituencies. Given the fierceness of the competition at the level of party primaries, aspiring MPs make promises they cannot keep. Confronted with unrealistic expectations, they reduce their presence in the constituency to a minimum. As a result, dissatisfaction increases, and disappointing MPs are voted out of office. The high turnover rate weakens the institutional memory and law-making capacities of parliament, thus creating even more disillusionment. In the long run, the continuation of this cycle may break the links between voters and political representatives
Accountability · Competition (biology) · Democracy · Democratization · Development economics · Economics · Macroeconomics · Parliament · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sierra leone · Virtuous circle and vicious circle · Law · Political Conflict and Governance · Public Administration
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| Unique citing works | 10 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 10 |