Political situation Setback after new democratic beginning

For 27 years, from 1987 to 2014, Burkina Faso was governed by President Blaise Compaoré. His attempt to secure a further term in office through a constitutional amendment triggered such fierce protests in 2014 that in the end he stepped down.

The presidential election held in 2015 was deemed to have been free and fair. It was won by Roch Kaboré, who was then reelected for a second term in 2020. In January 2022 his government was ousted as a result of a military coup. The interim government that was then appointed agreed with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on a transition plan envisaging the return to constitutional rule by July 2024. In October 2022, a section of the armed forces once again mounted a coup. They justified the overthrow of the transition government with the worsening security situation and gave an assurance that they would continue to adhere to the agreement with ECOWAS.

Since 2015, Burkina Faso has experienced a growing number of terrorist attacks by Islamist groups. It now ranks second (after Afghanistan) on the Global Terrorism Index. The terrorist groups are making calculated use of people's growing dissatisfaction with the political and economic situation and their dwindling trust in the state in order to widen their own sphere of influence and win new followers.

Particularly hard hit by the attacks and the resulting humanitarian crisis are the rural areas in the north and east of the country near the borders with Mali and Niger (countries that are also severely affected by Islamist terrorism). However, there have also been an increasing number of security incidents in the east and west of the country, along the borders with Benin, Togo and Côte d'Ivoire, as well as with the coastal countries in the south.

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As at: 20/04/2023