Burkina Faso’s military-led government has dissolved all political parties and scrapped the legal framework regulating their activities, further consolidating power more than three years after seizing control.
The decision was taken on Thursday through a decree approved by the country’s council of ministers.
The move follows the suspension of political activities after the September 2022 coup and represents the most sweeping political restructuring undertaken by the junta so far.
Interior Minister Emile Zerbo said the action was part of a broader effort to “rebuild the state,” arguing that the country’s multiparty system had become dysfunctional.
According to Zerbo, a government review concluded that the proliferation of political parties had fuelled divisions, weakened social cohesion and undermined national stability.
Before the coup, Burkina Faso had more than 100 registered political parties, with 15 represented in parliament following the 2020 general election.
Under the new decree, all political parties and formations are formally disbanded, while their assets will be transferred to the state.
The cabinet also approved the repeal of laws governing political party financing and the status of the opposition leader. These measures will be forwarded to the transitional legislative council for formal adoption, according to minutes of the meeting.
Burkina Faso, like its Sahel neighbours Mali and Niger, has been battling Islamist insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, a conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions over the past decade.
The junta has repeatedly cited security concerns and governance failures as justification for suspending democratic processes and centralising authority.
Visit GMTNewsng for more news stories.
