Burkina Faso Junta Dissolves All Political Parties

Burkina Faso’s military government has dissolved all political parties and repealed laws governing their operations under a decree approved January 29 by the Council of Ministers.

The presidency announced the measure, which transfers all parties’ assets to the state, formally ending multi-party politics in the West African nation, a system suspended since Captain Ibrahim Traoré seized power in September 2022.

The junta justified the dissolution by citing national unity, governmental coherence, and preparation for governance reforms. Officials accused political parties of fostering divisions amid Burkina Faso’s worsening security crisis, where jihadist insurgencies have displaced over 2 million people since 2015.

Captain Traoré, who overthrew another military junta eight months after it toppled elected President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, has systematically consolidated control. His administration previously suspended party activities, shuttered independent media, and detained opposition figures—including former President Kaboré, who remains in custody without trial.

The dissolution affects approximately 100 registered parties, eliminating organized opposition ahead of any potential transition. While the junta previously pledged elections by 2027, Thursday’s decree provided no concrete roadmap toward civilian rule.

The move aligns Burkina Faso with authoritarian trends among the Alliance of Sahel States—comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—which collectively exited ECOWAS in 2024. Neighboring Mali similarly banned political parties under its junta in 2023.

Human rights organizations condemned the dissolution as a severe blow to democratic space. “Eliminating political parties doesn’t create unity—it creates silence,” said an Amnesty International West Africa director.

As party structures are dismantled, Burkina Faso enters uncharted territory: formal political organization now exists solely at the junta’s discretion—raising profound questions about accountability and any path back to civilian governance.