Burkina Faso’s military junta has announced plans to dissolve all political parties, whose activities have been suspended since the military seized power in 2022.
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who assumed power in September 2022 after toppling a previous junta, has increasingly curtailed political dissent and restricted public gatherings of parties, though they were previously allowed to operate internally.
In a statement following a cabinet meeting, the presidency said the decision reflects the government’s view that the proliferation of political parties has led to abuses, deepened divisions among citizens, and weakened the social fabric.
A draft law to formally dissolve the parties will be submitted to the Transitional Legislative Assembly as soon as possible, according to Territorial Administration Minister Emile Zerbo, who added that the assets of dissolved parties would be transferred to the state.
Zerbo said the move is intended to preserve national unity, strengthen government coherence, and pave the way for reforms in political governance.
Captain Traoré’s takeover in 2022 ousted Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, who had seized power just nine months earlier.
Damiba, now back in Burkina Faso after being extradited from Togo earlier this month, has been accused by the military government of plotting coups and assassination attempts.
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