An Unstable Transitional Period: The Transformations of the Hybrid Coalition in Sudan

Abstract

This study analyses the turmoil that unfolded during the transitional period in Sudan after the December 2019 uprising. It focuses on the impact of specific transformations on the hybrid coalition that was formed to oversee the transitional period. This coalition consists of three components: the military establishment, with its two branches, the armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the civilian coalition, and the armed movements. The study demonstrates that this hybrid alliance underwent splits and the formation of New alliances, arguing that the reproduction of alliances contributed to the instability of the transitional period. Moreover, it argues that the dynamics of contentious politics have dominated the political process. It pays particular attention to the mechanisms and processes that influenced the actors in a dynamic and a vibrant political environment. Furthermore, it focuses on the technique of conflation, multiple targeting of actors at the same time, zero–sum interaction, and employing ideology in the process of building and dismantling alliances.