Burkina Faso’s military-led government has dissolved all political parties in the country. It has also cancelled the laws that guided how parties operated.
This decision was announced in a new decree issued on Thursday. The decree was approved by the country’s council of ministers.
The move comes as the military rulers continue to tighten their control. They have been in power since they seized the government in September 2022.
After the coup, political activities were already suspended. The new decree goes further by ending all political parties completely.
Burkina Faso’s Interior Minister, Emile Zerbo, explained the reason for the decision. He said it was part of a plan to “rebuild the state.”
Zerbo said the government found many problems in the multiparty system. He claimed there were abuses and serious weaknesses in how parties operated.
According to him, the large number of political parties caused division. He said this situation reduced unity and harmed social peace.
Before the coup, Burkina Faso had over 100 registered political parties. Out of these, 15 parties won seats in parliament after the 2020 election.
The new decree officially dissolves all political parties and political groups. This means none of them can operate anymore.
The government also plans to change existing laws. A new law will be sent to the transitional council to cancel rules on party funding and the role of the opposition leader.
All property and assets belonging to the dissolved parties will now belong to the state. This includes offices, equipment, and other resources.
Burkina Faso, like Mali and Niger, is facing serious security challenges. The country is battling Islamist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, which have killed many people and forced millions to flee their homes.
