The late January 2026 decision by Burkina Faso’s interim government under Captain Ibrahim Traoré marked the definitive end of partisan politics in the country. On January 29, all political parties—including those that had backed Traoré’s 2022 coup—were officially dissolved, stripping away the last remnants of independent civic participation.
While the junta had suspended party activities since seizing power, this move was framed as part of a sweeping state restructuring initiative aimed at reducing social divisions. Yet in practice, it consolidates authority under Traoré and transfers party assets to state control.
Initially, the coup enjoyed enthusiastic civilian backing, but this latest crackdown exposes a glaring contradiction. Despite rhetoric about popular mobilization and revolutionary renewal, the junta’s actions reveal a stark truth: military rulers rarely share power willingly.
From initial support to eventual marginalization
Military takeovers in West Africa—from Mali to Niger—often begin with broad civilian endorsement. Protest movements, opposition parties, and civil society groups celebrate coups as responses to public frustration, providing legitimacy and crowd support. Yet history shows this backing rarely translates into lasting influence.
Once firmly in control, juntas systematically sideline or suppress former allies. Civilian groups bring their own agendas, leaders, and voter bases—elements that threaten military monopolies on decision-making. The Burkina Faso decree is merely the latest example of this recurring pattern.
Case studies: where civilian support fades into irrelevance
Mali illustrates this dynamic vividly. The June 5 Movement – Rally of Patriotic Forces (M5-RFP), a coalition of opposition parties, religious leaders, and activists led by Imam Mahmoud Dicko, initially hailed the 2020 coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta. The movement anticipated shaping the transition, only to be excluded from key governance roles. When Colonel Assimi Goïta orchestrated a second coup in May 2021, the M5-RFP’s influence dwindled further, culminating in complete marginalization.
Guinea followed a similar trajectory. Opposition figures initially welcomed General Mamady Doumbouya’s 2021 coup against President Alpha Condé, even urging ECOWAS to refrain from sanctions. Yet within months, the junta sidelined civilian allies, leading to arrests of party leaders who criticized their exclusion.
Such patterns transcend West Africa. In Sudan, the Communist Party initially backed Colonel Jaafar Nimeiri’s 1969 coup but was violently purged by 1971. Egypt saw Tamarod’s revolutionary momentum evaporate after General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s 2013 takeover, as civic space collapsed under military rule.
Why military rulers turn on their allies
Civilian support serves a tactical purpose: it legitimizes coups, mobilizes crowds, and stabilizes early transitions. However, juntas view independent civic organizations as threats to their authority. Shared power is temporary; once consolidations occur, dissent becomes intolerable.
The Burkina Faso case underscores this reality. What began as a coalition of convenience ends in repression. For civilians who once celebrated military interventions, the lesson is clear: enthusiasm does not guarantee enduring influence in post-coup regimes.
