Burkina Faso’s [/b]military government has taken another bold step in consolidating power by officially dissolving the country’s independent electoral commission. The junta, led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, declared the electoral body as redundant, citing its high operational costs and questioning its relevance under the current transitional government.
The decision was announced during a broadcast on state-owned RTB TV, where officials stated that the responsibilities of overseeing future elections would be transferred to the Ministry of Interior. According to the junta, this move is intended to streamline operations and eliminate what they perceive as unnecessary expenditures.
This development is part of a broader set of political and institutional reforms introduced by the military regime, which seized power in a coup in September 2022. The original roadmap to return to civilian rule involved holding national elections in 2024. However, that plan has been abandoned, with the transition period now extended to July 2029.
The extension means that Captain Traoré will not only remain in control for several more years but also retain the right to participate as a candidate in the eventual presidential elections, should they occur as rescheduled.
Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, defended the controversial move, explaining that the now-defunct electoral commission cost the government nearly $870,000 (approximately £650,000) every year. He claimed that scrapping it would cut spending and simultaneously allow the state to “reinforce our sovereign control of the electoral process,” thereby limiting external influence.
Since taking office, the military-led government has significantly realigned Burkina Faso’s foreign policy. It has distanced itself from France, the country’s former colonial ruler, and has instead grown increasingly close to Russia. Russian assistance has been sought in tackling Burkina Faso’s growing insurgency crisis, though security remains fragile.
The jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has intensified its campaign of violence across the country. Verified reports from the BBC reveal that over 280 terrorist attacks were carried out in the first half of 2025 alone—more than double the number reported during the same period in 2024.
Alongside the deteriorating security situation, the ruling junta has also come under intense criticism from international human rights organizations. Allegations include mass killings of civilians, unlawful detentions, restrictions on political opposition, and an ongoing crackdown on press freedom.