Publication

This article highlights the important role military chiefs of staff can play in facilitating democratic transitions, basically by adhering to appropriate ethical standards. To illustrate his point, the text’s author cites the cases of Tunisia and Burkina Faso. In both instances, 1) the institutionalized independence of the military enabled it to distance itself from the partisan designs of the regime; and 2) although the groundswell of popular support and prestige bestowed on the military for siding with reformers could have tempted senior officers to seize power, they maintained their institutions’ commitment to civilian rule.