Burkina Faso's Junta Chief Urges Nation to Forget Democracy

In a televised interview, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the junta chief of Burkina Faso, declared that the nation must "forget" democracy, asserting that democracy is not suitable for the country. This statement comes after the junta, which took power in a coup in September 2022, has been criticized for suppressing dissent and dissolving the electoral commission.

The junta's parliament also suspended political parties in 2022. Traoré indicated that the transitional period, initially scheduled to conclude in July 2024, would be extended by five years to allow him to maintain leadership.

The country has been grappling with jihadist violence for nearly a decade, resulting in thousands of deaths. The United Nations has urged Burkina Faso to reverse its decision to ban political parties and to stop repressing civic space, as the junta has been hostile towards Western nations, particularly France, and has suspended numerous international media outlets while expelling journalists.