in: Contemporary Peacemaking, pp.307-331
Elections in post-conflict states serve a dual role. The first role, as in most countries, is to select leaders and lend legitimacy to the elected government and its policies. The second role, specific to post-conflict states, is for elections to help implement and consolidate an often fragile peace in the wake of ceasefires and in the context of destruction and mistrust; in this context, elections are part of a longer term peacebuilding process centred around re-establishing the rule of law and political participation.