Something of a democratic recessional is underway in sub-Sahara, with a weakening of civil society and democratic institutions. This both reflects and facilitates assaults on civilian, secular governments by domestic insurrections—as well as jihadi and criminal elements—against the backdrop of an economic slowdown and COVID-19. As the August coup in Mali shows, military seizures of power have not disappeared entirely. Nevertheless, the old style of coups—occupation of the state radio and television stations, the presidential palace, and perhaps the central bank, with the arrest of the...…Something of a democratic recessional is underway in sub-Sahara, with a weakening of civil society and democratic institutions. This both reflects and facilitates assaults on civilian, secular governments by domestic insurrections—as well as jihadi and criminal elements—against the backdrop of an economic slowdown and COVID-19. As the August coup in Mali shows, military seizures of power have not disappeared entirely. Nevertheless, the old style of coups—occupation of the state radio and television stations, the presidential palace, and perhaps the central bank, with the arrest of the...WW…