Burkina Faso: the government enacts the abolition of the CENI

Created in 2001 following the Sapouy tragedy, this institution was tasked with ensuring the transparency of the electoral process and mitigating political tensions.

Over the years, however, the CENI has faced recurrent structural dysfunctions. Among the main weaknesses noted are disputes related to the appointment of its members, discrepancies on the duration of their term, as well as internal crises affecting its credibility. These limitations have, according to transition authorities, contributed to making the institution unfit for current political demands.

The decision comes in a context of political restructuring initiated after the events of September 30, October 1 and 2, 2022, which led to a regime change. The Transition Charter, revised in May 2024, embodies this desire for profound institutional reorganization.

The bill includes several major reforms. These are aimed at rationalizing the institutional landscape by eliminating perceived redundant entities, professionalizing election organization by entrusting this mission to qualified and non-partisan actors, and reducing the cost of the electoral process by relying on existing administrative structures rather than creating new institutions.

With this reform, the government intends to turn a new page in electoral governance in Burkina Faso, breaking with previous practices of political sharing and segmented representation.