The 2010 coup d'état in Niger: A praetorian regulation of politics?

African Affairs

Volumn 110, Issue 439, 2011, Pages 295-304

  Baudais, Virginie ^a   Chauzal, Grégory ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF TOULOUSE CAPITOLE   (France)

^b Inst d'Etud Politiques de Bordeaux   (France)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

MILITARY INTERVENTION; POLITICAL CONFLICT; POLITICAL RELATIONS;

NIGER [WEST AFRICA];

EID: 79953755556     PISSN: 00019909     EISSN: 14682621     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/afraf/adr017     Document Type: Article

References (21)

1. According to the constitution, the President is elected for a five-year term and is eligible for re-election only once.
2. Sven Steinmo, Kathleen Thelen and Frank Longstreth, Structuring Politics: Historical institutionalism in comparative analysis (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1992).
3. Amanda Di Lorenzo and Enrico Sborgi, 'The 1999 presidential and legislative elections in Niger', Electoral Studies 20, 3 (2001), pp. 470-6.
4. Mamadou Tandja is a former officer (Colonel) of the Forces Armées du Niger (FAN). He was part of the first military generation to play an active political role in Niger, during Seyni Kountché's regime. When he was first elected, Tandja was also president of the MNSD-Nassara, the former single political party.
5. According to popular opinion in Niger, Hama Amadou is one of the wealthiest politicians in sub-Saharan Africa.
6. Secretary-general of the MNSD since 2009, Minister of the Interior since 2002, and acting Prime Minister from September to October 2009 when Seyni Oumarou resigned on 23 September 2009 in order to stand as a candidate in the October 2009 parliamentary election.
7. Minister of Finance since 2003 and one of Tandja's close confidants, especially regarding financial/commercial negotiations. He was also presented as one of Tandja's preferred choices for political succession.
8. In October 2009, international warrants were issued for the arrest of Mahamadou Issoufou and Hama Amadou, both charged with embezzlement.
9. The holding of a referendum on modification of the constitutional text is strictly forbidden (articles 36, 49, 135, and 136).
10. There are indications that the constitutional review was already planned in November 2008. The agenda of the CNDP meeting on 26 November 2008 included the ongoing revision of the electoral list, appointment to high-level administrative posts, and the review of the constitution. This meeting was postponed and never took place.
11. MNSD won 76 seats out of 113; RSD-Gaskyia 15; RDP-Jama'a 7; RPN-Alkalami, PMT-Albarka, PNA Al'Oumma, and UNI one each; and independent candidates the 11 remaining seats.
12. Trained in Morocco, Côte d'Ivoire, and China, Major Djibo was, at the time of the coup, commander-in-chief of the support company, the main artillery unit of the FAN.
13. Niger is ranked last in the Human Development Index of the UNDP: (27 May 2010).
14. Contrary to the 1974 and 1996 military experiences, this coup was led by a group of sub-officers. Daouda Malam Wanké was the head of the presidential guard. In 1974 and 1996, Seyni Kountché and Ibrahim Baré Mainassara were commanders-in-chief.
15. Tidjani Alou, 'Les militaires politiciens' in K. Idrissa (ed.), Armée et politique au Niger (CODESRIA, Dakar, 2008), p. 117.
16. Several members of the coalition were involved in the 1999 coup. Some also served in the peacekeeping operation in Côte d'Ivoire.
17. Michel Crozier and Erhard Friedberg, L'acteur et le système (Seuil, Paris, 1992).
18. J. Shafritz and J. S. Ott (eds), Classics of Organization Theory (Harcourt College Publishers, Fort Worth, TX, 2001).
19. The mining deposits in the north of the country represent more than 40 percent of Areva's production.
20. On 21 October, the Junta accused four of its members of a plot. All of them were arrested.
21. Comité des textes fondamentaux, 'Exposé des motifs de l'avant-projet de constitution', May 2010.