Burkina Faso’s military-led government has taken its most far-reaching political step yet, formally dissolving all political parties and associations and repealing the laws governing their existence, in a move that effectively brings an end to multiparty politics in the country.
The decision was announced following a council of ministers meeting chaired by the junta leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, and enacted through a sweeping decree. With immediate effect, every registered political party and political association has been disbanded, while their legal frameworks — including laws on party registration, financing and operations — have been scrapped. Assets belonging to the dissolved parties are to be transferred to the state.
Government officials justified the move as necessary to “preserve national unity” and strengthen cohesion during what they describe as a prolonged transition period. The interior ministry argued that the proliferation of political parties had fuelled division, weakened governance and distracted the country from confronting its overriding challenge: insecurity.
Burkina Faso has been under military rule since September 2022, when Traoré seized power in a coup, the second in less than a year. Since then, political activities have largely been suspended, elections repeatedly postponed, and key democratic institutions dismantled. The latest decree goes further by erasing the legal existence of parties altogether, closing the door on organised political opposition.
Before the coups, Burkina Faso operated a multiparty system with more than 100 registered political parties and a history — though imperfect — of electoral competition. That system has now been formally dismantled. Observers say the move signals a decisive shift away from any near-term return to civilian democratic rule.
The junta has indicated that new rules for political organisation may be drafted and submitted to the Transitional Legislative Assembly, a body whose members are appointed by the military authorities. However, no timeline has been provided, and there is little clarity on whether future political participation will resemble conventional party politics or take a different, state-controlled form.
Critics see the decision as a grave blow to political freedoms and civic space. By dissolving parties and seizing their assets, they argue, the military government has removed one of the last remaining channels for organised dissent and accountability. Human rights groups warn that the move entrenches authoritarian rule under the guise of national unity.
The development comes amid persistent violence linked to jihadist insurgent groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which have destabilised large parts of Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel. The junta has consistently framed its consolidation of power as a necessary response to the security crisis, insisting that political pluralism can wait until stability is restored.
Regionally, Burkina Faso’s decision aligns it more closely with fellow military-ruled Sahel states such as Mali and Niger, where juntas have also curtailed political parties, delayed elections and distanced themselves from Western democratic norms.
For ordinary Burkinabè citizens, the abolition of party politics marks a profound turning point. What was once a contested but plural political arena has been replaced by a system centred almost entirely on military authority, with no clear roadmap back to civilian rule. Whether the promise of security and unity can justify the disappearance of political choice remains a question that will continue to haunt Burkina Faso’s troubled transition.
Abuja Network News