Politics of Burkina Faso
|
|
Government
In 1990, the Popular Front held its first National Congress, which formed a committee to draft a national constitution. The constitution was approved by referendum in 1991. In 1992, Blaise Compaoré was elected president, running unopposed after the opposition boycotted the election because of Compaoré's refusal to accede to demands of the opposition such as a sovereign National Conference to set modalities. The opposition did participate in the following year's legislative elections, in which the ODP/MT won a majority of seats.
The government of the Fourth Republic includes a strong presidency, a prime minister, a Council of Ministers presided over by the president, a two-chamber National Assembly, and the judiciary. The legislature and judiciary are independent but remain susceptible to outside influence.
In 1995, Burkina held its first multiparty municipal elections since independence. With minor exceptions, balloting was considered free and fair by the local human rights organizations which monitored the contest. The president's ODP/MT won over 1,100 of some 1,700 councillor seats being contested.
In February 1996, the ruling ODP/MT merged with several small opposition parties to form the Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP). This effectively co-opted much of what little viable opposition to Compaoré existed. The remaining opposition parties regrouped in preparation for 1997 legislative elections and the 1998 presidential election. The 1997 legislative elections, which international observers pronounced to be substantially free, fair, and transparent, resulted in a large CDP majority--101 to 111 seats.
Principal Government Officials
President--Blaise Compaoré
Prime Minister--Kadre Desire Ouedraogo
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Burkina Faso
former: Upper Volta
Data code: UV
Government type: parliamentary
Capital: Ouagadougou
Administrative divisions: 30 provinces; Bam, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houe, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komoe, Kossi, Kouritenga, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Naouri, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Yatenga, Zoundweogo
note: a new electoral code was approved by the National Assembly in January 1997; the number of administrative provinces was increased from 30 to 45 (Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komandjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koupelogo, Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Nahouri, Namentenga, Nayala, Naumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Samentenga, Sanguie, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro, Zondomo, Zoundweogo), however, this change has not yet been approved by the US Board on Geographic Names
Independence: August 5, 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, August 4, (1983)
Constitution: June 2, 1991 approved by referendum; June 11, 1991 formally adopted
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage: universal
Executive branch:
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; the president may serve unlimited terms; election last held November 15, 1998 (next to be held in 2005); prime minister appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
election results: Blaise Compaoré reelected president with 88% percent of the vote, with 56% of voter turnout
note: despite his reelection, President Compaoré faces a growing political crisis due to his mishandling of an investigation into the assassination of a newspaper editor and pressure for political reform
Legislative branch: bicameral; consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee des Deputes Populaires (ADP) (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the purely consultative Chamber of Representations or Chambre des Representants (178 seats; members are appointed to serve three-year terms)
elections: National Assembly election last held May 11, 1997 (next to be held in 2002)
election results: seats by party - CDP 101, PDP 6, RDA 2, ADF 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court
Political parties and leaders: African Democratic Rally or RDA (Gerard Kango Ouedraogo, Clement Sanou); Alliance for Democracy and Federation or ADF (Herman Yameogo); Congress for Democracy and Progress or CDP (Din Salif Sawadago); Group for Progressive Democrats or GDP (Issa Tiendrebeogo); Movement for Tolerance and Progress or MTP (Noyabtigungu Congo Kabore); Party for African Independence or PAI; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP (Joseph Ki-Zerbo); Party for Progress and Social Development or PPDS; Union of Greens for the Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB (Ram Ovedrago)
Political pressure groups and leaders: Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or HBDHP; Group of 14 February; National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Flag: see Flag of Burkina Faso