Burkina Faso’s military-led government has abolished all political parties and organisations and scrapped the laws regulating their activities.
The announcement was made on Thursday by the presidency’s communications directorate after junta leader Ibrahim Traore chaired a meeting of the council of ministers.
Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, Émile Zerbo, described the move as a decisive step in the country’s political overhaul, saying the “great and important decision is part of the re-founding of the state”.
In a statement, the presidency argued that the proliferation of political parties had encouraged division among citizens and weakened national cohesion.
The government said the decision is intended to safeguard national unity, improve coordination in governance, and pave the way for broader reforms of the political system.
Under the new decree, assets belonging to the dissolved parties are to be transferred to the state.
“The draft laws will be passed to the Transitional Legislative Assembly as soon as possible,” Zerbo said.
Before the 2022 coup, Burkina Faso had over 100 registered political parties, with 15 securing seats in parliament following the 2020 elections. After Traore took power in September 2022, political parties were compelled to halt their activities.
At the same council meeting, the government also approved a long-term development strategy known as the “Reliance plan”, estimated at FCFA 36 trillion (about $65 billion), covering the period from 2026 to 2030.
