Politics

A sweeping constitutional revision was enacted in Bénin on November 1st, following an accelerated parliamentary procedure. This significant legal overhaul introduces a new electoral mechanism: the presidential ticket. Under this system, the President of the Republic and a Vice-President will now be elected concurrently, requiring an absolute majority of votes over two rounds of voting. Beyond electoral changes, the revised constitution brings forth several other crucial provisions. It formally abolishes the death penalty, establishes the Court of Accounts as a new judicial body, and enshrines the principle of affirmative action to promote women's representation in elections. The terms for parliamentary deputies are now subject to a strict limit of three mandates. ...

The interpretation of what constitutes a coup d'état frequently shifts, often aligning with the perceived interests and whims of the international community and its neighboring nations. In this context, the "appointment" of Transition President Michel Kafando carried inherent constitutional irregularities. Burkina Faso was poised to operate, for a minimum of twelve months, under a framework of entirely newly established institutions. Much like assembling a complex construction set, the interim governmental structures gradually took shape. Following the sudden appearance of military uniforms on the public stage, in the aftermath of the hasty departure of the "Sphinx of Kosyam" (Blaise Compaoré), Ouagadougou seemed to reclaim a sense of calm. Emerging seemingly from obscurity, Lieutenant-Col...