Burkina Faso Junta Leader Dismisses Democracy, Extends Military Rule

Abidjan— Ibrahim Traore, the military ruler of Burkina Faso, said citizens should “forget” democracy, signaling a further consolidation of military control amid an extended political transition.

In an interview broadcast on state television, Traore said elections were not under consideration and dismissed democratic governance as unsuitable for the country. “People need to forget about the issue of democracy. Democracy isn’t for us,” he said.

Traore seized power in a September 2022 coup, replacing a previous military leadership, and has since tightened restrictions on political activity and dissent. The junta dissolved the electoral commission last year, and in February the transitional parliament disbanded all political parties, whose operations had already been suspended following the coup.

The country’s transition to civilian rule, initially set to conclude in July 2024, was extended by five years, allowing Traore to remain in power as Burkina Faso continues to face a protracted insurgency linked to jihadist groups.

The security crisis, which has persisted for nearly a decade, has resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread instability across the country.

The United Nations has called on Burkina Faso’s authorities to reverse restrictions on political parties and halt the suppression of civic space.

Since taking power, the junta has also curtailed media freedoms, suspending or banning several international outlets and expelling journalists, while adopting a foreign policy stance increasingly critical of Western nations, particularly France.