Français
Capitale
Ouagadougou
Président
Blaise COMPAORE
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POLITICS, GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTIONS |
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| Burkina Faso has achieved important reforms regarding the constitution, the political parties, the poll organization, etc.
By constitution enacted in 1991, Burkina Faso is a secular and democratic republic under a three branches government. The incumbent President HE Blaise COMPAORE was first elected in 1992 and has been consistently reelected. He was last sworn in on December 20, 2005. (Click here to view the Résumé of the President) 2- The Executive branch comprises also The Prime Minister, head of the Cabinet and the Cabinet Members. (Click here to view the make up of the Cabinet). The seating Prime Minister Tertius ZONGO was appointed June, 4th 2007 (Click here to view the Résumé of the Prime Minister) . Once a year the Prime Minister will draft and present to the National Assembly The Statement of Policy “Déclaration de Politique générale” as well as a speech on the state of the Nation “Discours sur la situation de la Nation”. 3-Over a five years term, the unicameral Legislative branch is vested with the power of the bills passing, the executive action watching, the State budget voting etc. The legislature holds two ordinary sessions of three months each. Extraordinary sessions can be convened, if necessary. The legislative prerogatives is carried out through permanent committees and working groups. (Click here to view the make up of steering committee, the permanent committees and working groups). - The House so called “Assemblée Nationale” comprises 111 members of the Parliament including 13 women directly elected by the citizens for a five year term. The current legislature was picked upon election held in May 2007. (Click here to view the make up of the Assembly by name, party and gender). The judiciary guarantees the fundamental freedoms and rights, settles the litigation by court rulings and orders over private disputes and other breaches of law and order. It is the responsibility of the courts and tribunals to secure the rule of law (Click here to view the organization of the judiciary).The Constitution also provides for the following oversight organizations, advisory and independent agencies and other regulatory bodies dealing with economic, social, cultural and arbitration issues such as the“ Mediateur” a sort of ombudsman and the “Economic and Social Council” (C.E.S.) etc. The Mediateur a sort of ombudsman, is an independent authority appointed for a five-year non renewable term by the president over consultations with other authorities. His rulings are irrevocable. The Mediateur deals with convention involving private citizens, associations, on the one hand and the administration or other state agencies, on the other hand. He may instruct the agency at fault to settle the dispute amicably no matter if the case is referred to Court. He may also order the administration to review its decision, or make proposals for improvements in the operation of the state agency at issue. Likewise, whenever the complaint stems from an unfair application of the law, the Médiateur may propose amendments to the contentious law. The Economic and Social Council (C.E.S.) As an advisory agency, the CES renders opinions on bills, executive orders that are submitted to it. The Head of State can seek advice from the Institution on any social and economic issues. In addition, and on its own initiative, the C.E.S. provides assessment on the way social and economic schedules and programs of action are carried out by government (Click here to view other oversight organizations, advisory and independent agencies and regulatory bodies). The Political Parties Taking advantage of reforms, over sixty parties were created in 1991. Some of them merged to become more efficient. The best known are Congrès pour la Democratie et le Progrès (CDP), Parti Socialiste (PDP/PS), Alliance pour la Démocratie et la Fédération/Rassemblement démocratique africain (ADF/RDA), Union Nationale pour le développement et la Démocratie (UNDD) and Union Nationale pour la Révolution/Mouvement Sankariste UNIR/MS etc.To enhance a sound competition, some bills were passed, mainly to provide for the public financing of the parties, to provide for a status of the opposition and its leader etc… CENI and the Polls organization In order to improve transparency, a National Independent Commission for Elections (CENI) was created in 1992 to conduct the whole electoral process including the:
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