Burkina Faso Junta Scraps Electoral Commission, Tightens Grip on Power

 

Burkina Faso’s military government has dismantled the country’s electoral commission, transferring control of future elections to the interior ministry. The move, announced on state broadcaster RTB TV, is part of a series of sweeping reforms instituted by the ruling junta since it seized power in a 2022 coup.

The country’s Territorial Administration Minister, Emile Zerbo, defended the decision by calling the independent electoral body a financial burden, claiming it received an annual subsidy of about $870,000. He also argued that eliminating the commission would “reinforce our sovereign control on the electoral process” and reduce foreign influence.

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A national vote intended to restore civilian rule was originally scheduled for 2024 but has since been delayed. The junta has extended its transition plan until July 2029, allowing Captain Ibrahim Traoré who led the coup to remain in power and potentially run in future elections.

The military took control amid growing public anger over the government’s inability to curb a worsening Islamist insurgency. Since then, the regime has pivoted away from Western allies, notably severing military ties with France and embracing support from Russia.

However, the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate. Data verified by the BBC shows that jihadist group JNIM claimed responsibility for over 280 attacks in the first half of 2025 twice as many as in the same period the previous year.

Human rights organizations have accused the junta of cracking down on civil liberties and targeting civilians in its anti-insurgency operations. The abolition of the electoral commission adds to mounting concerns about democratic backsliding, as opposition voices grow increasingly suppressed and future elections fall under direct government control.