Digital platforms and political participation in a failed democracy

Digital platforms and new forms of democratic participation have been researched quite extensively. Yet very few studies have focused on the case of opposition political parties in contexts of failed democracies. This article explores that aspect by analysing the changes brought about by digital technology in the activism of opposition parties in Cameroon, a country where the current government is notorious for its restrictions on the political sphere. The article draws on interviews and observation of the digital platforms of a presidential candidate and his team of activists, between 2018 and 2022. It examines digital platforms as a space of political participation that allows opposition political parties to create a deliberative dynamic beyond strictly electoral mobilization.