Burkina Faso Military Junta Dissolves All Political Parties

The military junta of Burkina Faso has officially dissolved all political parties in the country and invalidated the laws governing them, as confirmed by a government decree on Thursday. This move follows a series of measures that activists claim have been targeting civic freedoms and political opposition since the military seized power through a coup in 2022. Political party activities have already been suspended under the junta's rule, and the new decree mandates that all party assets be transferred to the state. Minister of Territorial Administration Emile Zerbo justified the dissolution by stating that political parties had strayed from their original guidelines. He argued that the proliferation of political parties was creating divisions among citizens and weakening the country's social fabric. The government plans to submit draft laws for establishing future political parties "as soon as possible." This action is part of a broader trend in West and Central Africa, where military coups have increasingly interrupted democratic processes. Since taking power in 2022, Burkina Faso's military leaders have implemented sweeping reforms, including postponing elections and dissolving the independent electoral commission.