Keypoints:
- Junta abolishes election commission to cut costs
- Interior ministry now controls vote process
- Democracy delayed until 2029 amid insecurity
BURKINA Faso’s military junta has scrapped the country’s independent electoral commission, handing over control of future elections to the Interior Ministry. Officials say the move will reduce costs and limit foreign interference—but critics warn it consolidates the junta’s power and further delays the promised return to civilian rule.
The announcement, made Thursday on state-run RTB TV, follows nearly three years of sweeping changes by the military regime, which took power in a 2022 coup led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
Democracy on hold
A national vote initially planned for 2024 has been postponed until July 2029, giving Traoré five more years in power and allowing him to run in the next presidential race. The abolition of the electoral commission, a key institution for free and fair elections, raises further doubts about the credibility of any future vote.
Interior Minister Emile Zerbo defended the decision, telling AFP the commission had cost the state around $870,000 annually. ‘Abolishing it will reinforce our sovereign control on the electoral process and limit foreign influences,’ he said.
Critics see power grab
Analysts and rights groups view the move as part of a larger pattern of democratic backsliding in the Sahel region, where military rulers have postponed elections and cracked down on dissent.
The junta in Burkina Faso has already suspended political activity, curtailed press freedoms, and rejected the assistance of France in favour of deepening security ties with Russia.
Opponents argue that eliminating the election body clears the path for political manipulation and narrows the space for opposition voices.
Jihadist violence surging
While the junta justifies its rule as necessary to fight Islamist insurgents, security conditions have continued to deteriorate. In the first half of 2025, al-Qaeda-linked group JNIM claimed over 280 attacks in Burkina Faso, double the figure recorded during the same period in 2024, according to data verified by the BBC.
Despite shifting alliances and receiving Russian support, the military’s effectiveness remains in question.
Rights organisations have also accused the army of targeting civilians during counterinsurgency operations—allegations the government denies.
Growing isolation, uncertain future
Burkina Faso’s democratic institutions are rapidly being hollowed out as the junta tightens its hold on power. The abolition of the electoral commission follows similar patterns seen in fellow Sahel nations Mali and Niger, where juntas have severed regional ties and postponed elections indefinitely.
Observers warn that unless a credible path to civilian rule is restored, Burkina Faso risks long-term instability, deeper isolation, and the erosion of public trust.
