Burkina Faso Military Govt dissolves all political parties amid transitional shake-up

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso – Burkina Faso’s military-led government has dissolved all political parties and scrapped the legal framework regulating their operations, the administration announced on Thursday.

The decision, approved by the country’s council of ministers, follows the suspension of political activities after the military seized power in September 2022, and is part of what authorities describe as a broader effort to “rebuild the state.”

Interior Minister Emile Zerbo said a government review revealed that the proliferation of political parties had fueled divisions and weakened social cohesion, noting that the West African nation had registered over 100 parties, with 15 represented in parliament following the 2020 general election.

According to the decree, all political parties and formations are now disbanded, and a law repealing statutes governing party financing and the status of opposition leaders will be submitted to the transitional council. The assets of dissolved parties are to be transferred to the state.

Burkina Faso, like its Sahel neighbours Mali and Niger, faces persistent Islamist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, which have killed thousands and displaced millions in the region over the past decade.