Many had hoped that the elections in Burundi would lead to political stabilization. However, after the local elections, accusations concerning vote rigging were raised. The major oppositional parties refused to acknowledge the election victory of the governing party and decided not to run for the three following elections.
Since then, battles between the government and the opposition have been violently fought. Initially, the international community planned to withdraw from Burundi once elections were successfully held. Instead, the country is now at the verge of a new civil war.
In HSFK- Standpunkt 9/2011 "Nach den Wahlen, vor dem Krieg? Die Situation in Burundi ein Jahr nach den Wahlen 2010" (After the elections, on the verge of a civil war? Burundi one year after the elections in 2010), Jörg Krempel analyzes the causes and consequences of the recent political situation in Burundi. He explains, how the conflicts among the parties could lead to a new civil war and how they might be conciliated.
This Standpunkt issue is available as free download (PDF file).