Kristian Lefdal
Junior Research Fellow
Kristian Lefdal is a Junior Research Fellow in the Research group on Peace, Conflict, and Development (PCAD). In 2024 he completed his Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies (M.Phil) at the University of Oslo. His thesis, “Unpacking the Contemporary Coup Wave in the Sahel: A Case Study of Coups d’état in Mali & Niger 2020-2023”, investigated the military coup wave phenomenon in the Sahel and exposed several key factors that induced the coups in the two Francophone cases. Kristian suggests that the resurgence of unconstitutional incumbent ouster in the Sahel demands to be comprehended in their domestic political contexts in order to grasp why putschists prove to succeed their coup attempts – contrasted to preceding trends.
His research interests cover a wide range of topics, including West African politics, geopolitics, Russia-Africa relations, state-building, colonial history, peace and reconciliation, political institutions, and political party systems.
Currently, Kristian is engaged in the project Re-Engaging with Neighbours in a State of War and Geopolitical Tensions, and works with Sahelian-related topics.
More from Kristian Lefdal
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Completing the Union
Europe’s first Enlargement Forum comes at a moment when accession is no longer just a policy process but a test of trust.
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How Moldova’s democracy prevailed over Russian interference
Russian influence characterized the election campaign in Moldova, both in the form of disinformation and control over access to energy. Nevertheless, democracy withstood the pressure. The explanation lies in the trust between people and between the people and the state. This should be taken into account in the assessment of European aid and cooperation.