Electoral Systems in MENA

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

The purpose of this course is to analyze with the theoretical and methodological framework of comparative perspective the different types and electoral systems in Middle East and North African countries–from Morocco to Afghanistan, including the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Turkey and Pakistan– and the most relevant electoral processes that have taken place in the region in the last two decades, from the Gulf War (1992) until the ‘Arab spring’ (2011). The course will focus on the changes in the political systems and regimes, and on the implementation of new electoral rules and elective chambers, as well as their influence in the electoral results and the consequences in the party and political systems. The course will also discussed the influence of external –US, UN, UE, international and regional media– and internal factors –local media, political associations, women participation– in shaping those changes, as well as the role of the international organizations dedicated to electoral assistance. The comparative politics approach will be useful to understand why all MENA region started a rapid wave of change toward a democratization process in a short period of time started with the ‘Arab Spring’ of 2011, and why this did not happened before.