Burkina Faso’s military authorities on Thursday announced the dissolution of all political parties and political groupings, a significant step that deepens the junta’s grip on power nearly three years after it took control of the country.
The decision was formalized through a decree approved at the weekly Cabinet meeting presided over by military leader and President Ibrahim Traore, and it directs that all assets belonging to the disbanded parties be handed over to the state.
Officials also disclosed that draft legislation has been drawn up to annul existing laws that regulate the financing and functioning of political parties.
Territorial Administration Minister Emile Zerbo said the decision followed what he called a comprehensive review of the country’s political landscape.
“This great and important decision is part of the refoundation of the state,” Zerbo said, adding that political parties had deviated from their legal roles and played a role in deepening national divisions.
According to the government, the large number of political parties has contributed to internal fragmentation, eroded social cohesion and weakened the effectiveness of governance.
The authorities said the dissolution is meant to “preserve national unity, strengthen the coherence of government action, and pave the way for a reform of the political governance model.”
Burkina Faso has been governed by the military since Traore led a coup in September 2022, the second military takeover that year.
The junta has frequently pointed to the worsening security crisis, marked by attacks from militants linked to al-Qaeda and Daesh, to defend the adoption of extraordinary measures.
Elections that were originally scheduled for July 2024 have been delayed indefinitely, and while political party activities were largely curtailed after the coup, they had not been officially banned until this latest decree.
