Burkina Faso’s military-led government has announced the dissolution of its Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), citing concerns over cost and foreign influences. The decision, made on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, means the interior ministry will handle elections in the future.
Territorial Administration Minister Emile Zerbo stated that abolishing the commission would reinforce the country’s sovereign control over the electoral process and limit foreign influences.
The commission was subsidized with around $870,000 annually, which the government considers a significant burden.
This move is part of the military junta’s sweeping reforms since seizing power in September 2022. They have postponed elections, initially scheduled for July 2023, and extended the transition period to democracy until July 2029.
This allows Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the military leader, to remain in power and potentially contest the next presidential election.
The junta’s decision has raised concerns about democratic backsliding in West Africa, where several countries have experienced military coups in recent years.
Burkina Faso faces significant security challenges due to a jihadist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions.
The military government has taken a nationalist stance, distancing itself from former colonial power France and seeking support from Russia.
