Protecting the Vote? Peacekeeping Presence and the Risk of Electoral Violence. Issue 3 (9th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fjelde, Hanne; Smidt, Hannah M.
• Is Part Of: British journal of political science. Volume 52:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 1113
• Page End: 1132
• Publication Date: 2022-07-09
• Subjects: electoral violence -- United Nations -- peacekeeping -- conflict management; Political science -- Periodicals; 320.05
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007123421000132
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-1234

Abstract

Abstract: Democracy assistance, including the promotion of electoral security, is often a central component of contemporary peacekeeping operations. Preventing violence during post-conflict elections is critical for the war-to-democracy transition. Yet little is known about the role of peacekeepers in this effort. To fill this gap, this study provides the first comprehensive sub-national study of peacekeeping effectiveness in reducing the risk of electoral violence. It combines geo-referenced data on peacekeeping deployment across all multidimensional peacekeeping missions in Africa over the past two decades with fine-grained data on electoral violence. The analysis finds a negative association between peacekeeping presence and the risk of electoral violence. The relationship is of a similar magnitude in the pre- and post-election periods. However, the association is more strongly negative for violence perpetrated by non-state actors compared to violence perpetrated by government-affiliated actors. Analyses using two-way fixed-effects models and matching mitigate potential selection biases.