PERSPECTIVE| FES SENEGAL Power to Protest Presidencies? Lessons Learned from the Successful Mobilization and Diverging Effects of Popular Uprisings in Senegal and Burkina Faso NINA-KATHRIN WIENKOOP November 2017 n Since 1997, seventeen African heads of state tried to amend the constitution to ex­pand their term in office when they reached the maximum duration. Most of those attempts to undermine democratic principles happened through institutional means i. e. under a»democratic disguise« and led to popular uprisings. n In Burkina Faso and Senegal similar constellations have led to massive uprisings in the run-up to the voting of the National Assembly that hindered both amendments to pass. New leaders from the music and media scene animated the youth to protest and the me­dia to report about their struggle, hence putting pressure on the government to respond. n On the other hand, there are also numerous differences in the development and out­come of both protest movements: Despite the mobilization, the Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade run for office in the following presidential elections following the le­gitimation of his candidature by the Constitutional Council on 27 January 2012. After repressive counteractions by a well-equipped and trained riot police, this day marked the last joint protest event as opposition parties started campaigning and movement leaders called for voting. n In Burkina Faso, the temporal concurrence of a military split, the division of the ruling party, and an unconstitutional term bid provoked an opportunity for the Burkinabe to get finally rid of an unpopular president. A strong anti-presidential front of civic and political opposition that is highly politicized due to a culture of contestation resulted in a clear-cut strategy against Compaorés’ candidature. Compaoré faced a lower legitima­tion from the beginning in 1987 when he overthrew former president Thomas Sankara. n Besides a different democratic history and culture, institutional settings mattered sig­nificantly. For future mobilizations to come those pro-democracy movements raise self-confidence. Because if(young) people do not see prospects for change, frustra­tion can turn into the rejection of democratic governance.