Africa-Press. The military government of Burkina Faso issued a decree dissolving all political parties and repealing the legal framework governing their activities, under a measure approved by the Council of Ministers of the West African country.
The decision, taken by the military rulers who seized power in September 2022, is the latest step to tighten their grip on power after suspending political activities following the coup.
Burkina Faso’s interior minister, Émile Zerbo, said the move is part of a broader effort to “rebuild the state” after what he described as widespread violations and dysfunctions in the country’s multiparty system. He added that a government review concluded that the proliferation of political parties had deepened divisions and weakened social cohesion.
Before the coup, the country had more than 100 registered political parties, 15 of which were represented in parliament after the 2020 general election. The decree orders the dissolution of all parties and political groupings. According to the minutes of the cabinet meeting, a bill abolishing the basic statutes and regulating party financing—along with defining the status of the opposition leader—will be referred to the current transitional council. All assets of the dissolved parties will be transferred to the state.
