Burkina Faso’s military-led authorities have formally dissolved all political parties in the country, scrapping the legal framework that governs their operations in a sweeping move to consolidate power.
The decision was approved on Thursday by the West African nation’s council of ministers, according to an official decree.
The development marks the latest step by the junta, which took power in September 2022, to tighten its grip on governance after earlier suspending political activities nationwide.
Interior Minister Emile Zerbo said the action forms part of broader efforts to “rebuild the state,” citing what he described as deep-rooted abuses and dysfunction within the country’s multiparty system.
Zerbo explained that a government-led review concluded that the proliferation of political parties had contributed to national divisions and weakened social cohesion.
Before the military takeover, Burkina Faso had more than 100 registered political parties, with 15 represented in parliament following the 2020 general elections.
Under the new decree, all political parties and formations are officially disbanded, while their assets will be transferred to the state. In addition, legislation repealing existing party statutes, funding regulations, and the formal status of opposition leadership is expected to be submitted to the transitional legislative council.
Burkina Faso, like its Sahel neighbours Mali and Niger—both also under military rule—continues to battle Islamist insurgencies linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State. The decade-long conflict has claimed thousands of lives and forced millions from their homes.
