Burkina Faso Dissolves Electoral Commission, Cites ‘Waste of Money’ and ‘Foreign Influence’
By Passman Akpos
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso — In a sweeping political move, Burkina Faso’s transitional parliament has officially dissolved the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing the institution as a “waste of money.”
The decision, announced on Thursday, transfers the responsibility of organizing and overseeing future elections to the Ministry of Territorial Administration — a body traditionally tasked with managing the nation’s internal governance and administrative affairs.
President Ibrahim Traoré, who leads the military government, backed the parliamentary decision, asserting that the INEC had become a conduit for “foreign influence” in the country’s internal political processes.
“The Electoral Commission was no longer serving the interests of the Burkinabé people. It had become a tool for foreign interference,” Traoré was quoted as saying.
The move underscores the junta’s ongoing efforts to distance Burkina Faso from external control and reshape national institutions in line with its vision of “sovereign independence.” It also follows a growing trend of anti-Western sentiment across parts of the Sahel, where military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have been pushing to assert greater autonomy from former colonial powers and international organizations.
While supporters of the decision hail it as a necessary step toward reclaiming national sovereignty, critics warn it could centralize excessive power in the hands of the government and undermine electoral transparency.
Burkina Faso, which has faced years of political instability and insecurity due to jihadist insurgencies, has yet to announce a clear timetable for the next general elections.
