OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — In a dramatic consolidation of power, Burkina Faso’s military government has officially dissolved all political parties and nullified the legislation that governed them through a decree ratified during Thursday’s Council of Ministers meeting.
The decision represents the most severe measure yet in a series of actions that civil society advocates characterize as systematically dismantling democratic institutions and suppressing opposition voices since the 2022 coup brought the junta to power. While political activities had remained suspended under military rule, the new mandate goes further by requiring the immediate transfer of all party assets to state control, as confirmed by the government-operated news agency.
Emile Zerbo, Minister of Territorial Administration, justified the sweeping dissolution by asserting that political organizations had strayed from their foundational principles. “The administration concludes that the excessive proliferation of political parties has precipitated abuses, exacerbating societal divisions and undermining national cohesion,” Zerbo stated following the ministerial council’s approval.
The military regime, which seized control two years ago, has implemented extensive reforms including the indefinite postponement of elections originally intended to reestablish civilian governance and the disbandment of the autonomous electoral commission. Officials indicated that new legislation outlining the framework for future political organizations will be presented to the legislative body promptly.
Burkina Faso joins several West and Central African nations experiencing a wave of military takeovers and deferred transitions to democratic governance, reflecting broader regional instability and challenges to constitutional order.