Over the last twenty years, Liberia has had four peaceful and successful multi-party elections. These elections have facilitated seamless transitions, and despite numerous institutional and financial challenges, they have been judged to be free, fair, and credible. In the process, Liberia’s post-war democracy is being consolidated, a constitutional order has been reinstated as much as it has facilitated the free exercise of rights, including voting rights, the rise of civil society, and an...
By Ali Kaba and Baba Sillah Download PDF Cleared farm land in rural Liberia. Source: Mongabay Introduction In 2018, the Liberian government passed a progressive Land Rights Law (LRL), which recognizes communities' customary tenure rights without requiring formal documentation. Experts believe over 70% of Liberia's territory should be under customary tenure.[1] However, there are concerns about the effectiveness and transparency of the Liberia Land Authority (LLA), the main institution...
Map of Liberia showing the counties with their population figures, 2022. Source: Daily Observer Newspaper Introduction Democracy is sometimes misconstrued to be the regular conduct of elections and for the process to be declared, free, fair, and transparent. However, democracy also entails adequate representation. According to the Liberian constitution, a county and electoral district ought to be adequately represented in both the Senate and House of Representatives. The standard established...
Introduction Liberia will have its fourth post-war multi-party general and presidential elections on October 10, 2023. This will be the first general and presidential elections since the departure of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in 2018. The Ducor Institute launched the Liberia Election Analysis Project (LEAP) to monitor the electoral process and provide real-time information and analysis. The objective of the LEAP project is to collect information and provide regular analysis...
A primer on the legal and policy framework for the 2023 General and Presidential Elections Introduction On October 10, 2023, Liberians will be voting for a president, vice president and members of its legislature in the fourth general elections — since the end of the Liberian civil war in 2003. The Constitution of Liberia (1986), the New Elections Law of 1986 (lastly amended in 2014) and a series of guidelines and regulations, such as the Campaign Finance Regulations of 2022 of the...
Authors: Ibrahim Al-bakri Nyei, Aaron Weah, and James B. Kollie Liberia’s 2023 Election: An Overview of the Landscape Introduction Liberia will hold its fourth post-war election on October 10, 2023. The 2023 elections are mandated by the Constitution, which provides that the President, Vice President, and Members of the Legislature be elected every six years. Incumbent President George Weah has indicated his intention to seek a second and final term in office. These will be the...