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In the transition from war-torn societies to stable multiparty democracies, what is the role of former rebel leaders? Can rebel movements effectively transform themselves from military to political organizations? From Soldiers to Politicians explores when and how militias succeed in reorienting their goals and practices toward legitimate political activities, and how external actors can support that practice. The authors present eight theoretically grounded country studies, focusing in each on the historical background of the rebel movement, its (attempted or successful) transformation into a political party, and the factors explaining success or failure. Bridging the academic-policy divide, they identify concrete lessons from previous transformation processes, as well as options for future international involvement. About the Author Jeroen de Zeeuw is senior research associate in the Conflict Research Unit at Clingendael Institute of International Relations in the Netherlands. He is coeditor, with Krishna Kumar, of Promoting Democracy in Postconflict Societies. Table of Contents Understanding the Political Transformation of Rebel Movements El Salvador: The Success of the FMLN Mozambique: RENAMO’s Electoral Success Sierra Leone: Marginalization of the RUF Burundi: The Deficient Transformation of the CNDD-FDD Palestine: Hamas’s Unfinished Transformation Sudan: The Incomplete Transition from the SPLA to the SPLM Afghanistan: Political Parties or Militia Fronts? Sri Lanka: The Continued Armed Struggle of the LTTE International Involvement in Rebel-to-Party Transformations.