The Future of Democracy Is Rooted in Tradition: Global Forum Comes to Botswana

In Botswana, only 49% of citizens say they prefer democracy to any other kind of government, compared to 62% ten years ago, according to the new publication by Afrobarometer. This is not an isolated trend. Democracy is losing ground globally, but the challenge is not only how countries are governed — it is also how citizens experience democracy.

This gap is visible even where democracy is moving forward. Botswana is among just 18 countries that V-Dem identifies as currently democratising. Yet only 45% of Batswana say they are satisfied with the way democracy works in their country. If citizens are losing confidence in democratic institutions, elections or even democracy itself, it is time to talk about how democracy can give them a stronger voice beyond elections.

The Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy provides a space not only to examine the pressures democracy is facing but also to explore how democratic systems can be strengthened, sharpened and renewed in response. The Global Forum, taking place in Gaborone, Botswana, from 7–10 October, is the world's largest gathering dedicated to direct democracy and citizen participation. It will bring together civil society leaders, practitioners, policymakers, researchers and citizens from across the globe to exchange experiences and explore democratic innovations that place citizens at the centre of decision-making.

Elections are indispensable to democracy, but they are not its only tool, and Botswana offers a particularly meaningful setting for these conversations. The country's kgotla tradition demonstrates how dialogue, participation and collective deliberation can remain rooted in local communities while continuing to evolve in a changing world. As Botswana has been in a process of constitutional reform, the Forum will also provide an opportunity to reflect on how direct and participatory democracy can help turn constitutional change into a genuine public stocktaking of a nation's future. At a time of declining democratic satisfaction, participatory tools deserve a much bigger place in the debate about how trust in democratic institutions can be rebuilt, and this is what the Global Forum is designed to do.

“The question of citizen trust in democratic institutions is even more important for a country like Botswana, which experienced its first change of government in 2024,” said Kebapetse Lotshwao, Co-Chair of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy for the University of Botswana, “Citizens should feel and see the change they voted for, lest democracy is reduced to a system of circulating self-serving elites at the expense of ordinary citizens.”

“We’re at an absolutely crucial moment for democracy in general, with terrifying backsliding happening around the world, and democracy in Africa more specifically. This is the right time for a Forum in Africa. Africa is the continent of the future. A rapidly growing share of the world’s young people will call Africa home, and they will inherit a continent whose democratic future is still being written. The Global Forum is about ensuring their voices, aspirations and leadership are at the heart of that story,” said Caroline Vernaillen, of Democracy International, co-host of the Forum, “There could hardly be a more fitting place for this conversation than Botswana. The Kgotla reminds us that democratic innovation does not always mean inventing something new — sometimes it means recognising the value of institutions that have enabled people to gather, speak and be heard for generations. Bringing the Global Forum to Gaborone gives us an opportunity to connect that tradition with the democratic challenges of the future, from empowering a new generation to strengthening institutions, governing natural resources responsibly and building cooperation across Southern Africa.”

Over four days of discussions, workshops, cultural activities and site visits, participants will explore how the fusion of tradition and innovation can breathe new life into grassroots democracy. They will share experiences of citizen participation in constitutional reform, examine democratic responses to contemporary challenges and showcase citizens-led approaches to addressing issues that increasingly transcend national borders.

At a moment when citizens are questioning how and whether democracy works for them, the answer is not to look beyond democracy, but beyond elections alone.