Most Coup Attempts In Recent Years Have Failed

In July 2016, a faction of the Turkish armed forces attempted to carry out a coup d'état against state institutions and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the country's president. Like the majority of coup attempts in recent years, it ended in failure, though it remains one of the highest-profile incidents in recent memory. Some notable coups did succeed over the past decade including Egypt in 2011 (and again in 2013) as well as Mali and Guinea-Bissau in 2012.

This month's coup in Zimbabwe joins the success list. It all started on 14 November when elements of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces sized control of key areas in the country's capital of Harare. By 19 November, ZANU-PF removed President Robert Mugabe as the country's leader, replacing him with Emmerson Mnangagwa. Impeachment proceedings were initiated when Mugabe failed to resign the presidency by a 20 November deadline. After a joint session of Parliament and Senate to discuss his impeachment on 21 November, Mugabe sent a letter of resignation before Mnangagwa was sworn in as president three days later.