On this International Day of Democracy, new research suggests that support for democracy is weakening in parts of Africa. An Afrobarometer survey covering 38 countries finds that while 64 percent of Africans still prefer democracy, only 36 percent meet the study's definition of "committed democrats" - meaning they both prefer democracy and reject authoritarian alternatives. The research also finds that fewer than half of those surveyed consider their country a democracy, while just 38 percent are satisfied with the way democracy is working. For more on what these findings tell us about the state of democracy across Africa, We spoke to Professor Robert Mattes, a professor of government and public policy at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland and a co-founder of Afrobarometer.

<p>On this International Day of Democracy, new research suggests that support for democracy is weakening in parts of Africa. An Afrobarometer survey covering 38 countries finds that while 64 percent of Africans still prefer democracy, only 36 percent meet the study's definition of "committed democrats" - meaning they both prefer democracy and reject authoritarian alternatives. The research also finds that fewer than half of those surveyed consider their country a democracy, while just 38 percent are satisfied with the way democracy is working. For more on what these findings tell us about the state of democracy across Africa, We spoke to Professor Robert Mattes, a professor of government and public policy at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland and a co-founder of Afrobarometer.</p>