Elections in Burkina Faso

Politics of Burkina Faso
Constitution (suspended) Human rights
Government Interim President Ibrahim Traoré Interim Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla
Parliament National Assembly President: Alassane Bala Sakandé
Administrative divisions 13 regions 45 provinces 351 departments
Elections Recent elections General: 2015 2020 Political parties
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Olivia Rouamba Diplomatic missions of / in Burkina Faso Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Other countries
v t e

Burkina Faso elects on the national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a five-year term by the people. The National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) has 127 members, elected for a five-year term by proportional representation. Burkina Faso has held democratic elections since 1965. The history of elections has been slightly inconsistent, with the government dynamically changing at the hands of various coups, constitutional changes, and boycotts from various political parties. In 2015, the country experienced its first peaceful and fair election ever. Corruption plagued Burkina Faso's presidential elections for 50 years, but following a coup overthrowing Blaise Compaoré, the nation has seen more democratic and less corrupt electoral processes. Terrorism has played a substantial role in Burkina Faso's elections, with candidates running on the promise to keep the nation safe from the rise of Islamic jihadism they experienced in the 2010s. Historically, a few different parties have held power in Burkina. The Organization for Popular Democracy – Labour Movement was former president Compaoré's party affiliation, and thus they held power from 1987 to 2014. His party took power through a coup, and in 2014 also lost their control when the Regiment of Presidential Security overthrew the government.