Burkina Faso’s military-led government has announced the dissolution of all political parties and political organisations in the country, alongside the repeal of laws regulating their operations.
The decision was disclosed in an official statement from the presidency’s communications directorate after junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré chaired a meeting of the Council of Ministers. Authorities described the move as part of a broader effort to restructure the nation’s political system.
Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, Émile Zerbo, said the action was intentional and wide-ranging, describing it as a “great and important decision” tied to what the government calls a re-founding of the state. According to the presidency, the rapid growth in the number of political parties over the years had contributed to political instability, deepened divisions among citizens and weakened national cohesion.
Officials stated that dissolving the parties is intended to promote unity, streamline governance and create space for sweeping political reforms. Under the new decree, all assets belonging to the dissolved parties are to be transferred to the state. Zerbo added that draft legislation related to the decision would soon be forwarded to the Transitional Legislative Assembly for formal consideration.
Prior to the military takeover, Burkina Faso had more than 100 registered political parties, with about 15 holding seats in parliament following the 2020 general elections. After Traoré seized power in a coup in September 2022, political parties had already been ordered to suspend their activities.
During the same council meeting, the government also approved a long-term national development strategy known as the “Reliance Plan.” The programme, estimated at 36 trillion CFA francs — roughly 65 billion US dollars — is expected to run from 2026 through 2030 as part of efforts to reshape the country’s economic and governance framework.
