What changed

B100321/2026

B100303/2026

European Parliament resolution on the continuedContinued crackdown on civic space and fundamental freedoms in Burkina Faso

(2026/2767(RSP))

having regard to RulesRule 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

whereas since the military coup of 2022, the political, human rights and security situation in Burkina Faso has dramatically worsened;

whereas the NATO invasion of Libya, against the will of the African Union, has created lasting instability in the Sahel states with the Tuareg but even Daesh exacerbating their presence in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger;

whereas since the beginning of 2026 political parties have been completely dissolved, and civil society organisations, critical media outlets and human rights defenders are increasingly persecuted;

whereas years of French and European military operations in the region failed to create peace and security;

whereas the originally announced return to civilian rule was increasingly postponed and the independent electoral commission was dissolved;

whereas in January 2022, part of the Burkinabe army led a coup promising security and sovereignty; whereas this came in a context of widespread popular frustration with decades of external interference, economic dependency and unequal power relations;

whereas the security situation remains dire as large parts of the country are affected by violence and Islamists terrorism, and millions of people are displaced and dependent on humanitarian aid;

whereas the new authorities promised national sovereignty over natural resources, an end to economic dependency, and a development model centred on economic sovereignty and national control over strategic sectors;

whereas international media outlets and NGOs were repeatedly suspended or expelled;

whereas since then, the duration of military-led “transitional regime” was extended from two years to five years; whereas in January 2026, political parties were dissolved after a three-year suspension; whereas between April and May 2026, nearly 700 NGOs and associations were suspended or dissolved; and attacks on the media led to the suspension of TV channels, radio stations, newspapers and the arrest of journalists;

whereas in January 2024, Burkina Faso, along with Mali and Niger, withdrew from ECOWAS, and founded the Alliance of Sahel States; whereas in September 2025, they announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court;

Stresses that lasting peace, security and social progress in the Sahel require addressing structural inequalities, the strengthening of popular power, and fully respecting the self-determination of peoples;

whereas in December 2025 Burkina Faso reinstated the death penalty;

Expresses its solidarity with the Burkinabè people and all those defending social justice, sovereignty and dignity;

whereas, for more than a decade, France and several European partners have provided substantial military support to Burkina Faso and the entire Sahel region in the fight against Islamist terrorist groups, notably through Operations Serval and Barkhane, during which many European soldiers were wounded or lost their lives; whereas the Burkinabe military authorities decided to end this cooperation and demanded the withdrawal of French forces in 2023 and instead pursued a political and military partnership with Russia; whereas this break has not led to an improvement in the security situation, which, on the contrary, continues to deteriorate in large parts of the country;

Expresses concern over the shrinking civic space in Burkina Faso, including restrictions on trade unions, student movements, independent organisations, domestic media and critical voices;

Condemns the dissolution of political parties and calls on the Burkinabe authorities, in consultation with opposition actors and civil society, to publish a credible timetable to return to a civilian and democratically-elected government;

Recognizes the legitimate right of the people of Burkina Faso to freely determine their own political, economic and social future, free also from external interference and exploitation;

Calls for the immediate end of the systematic oppression against the political parties, NGOs, journalists and other civil society organisations;

Condemns therefore European policies in the Sahel which have prioritised militarisation, border externalisation and the interests of European corporations over the rights and needs of local populations, thereby undermining sovereign development, fundamental rights and freedoms, and social progress;

Expresses its concern about the serious violations committed by Jihadist armed groups and by the Burkinabe defense and security forces, and calls for an independent investigation into the crimes committed;

Calls on the European Union and its Member States to abandon all neocolonial aspirations and policies designed to maintain influence in, or control over, the region and support sovereign social development, economic justice, and the self-determination of people;

Notes that the expulsion of French forces and the dismantling of established security partnerships have not produced any of the promised security gains; stresses that the military authorities bear a particular responsibility for weakening Burkina Faso’s counter-terrorism capabilities, while favouring alternative partnerships which have not improved the security of the Burkinabe population;

Supports the diplomatic initiatives undertaken by Benin and Senegal to engage with Burkina Faso, with a view to de-escalating tensions between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States and to fostering joint action on the common problems faced by the countries of the region;

Calls on the Burkinabe government to reverse their decision to withdraw from the ICC and to refrain from reinstating the death penalty;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, Member States, and the Burkinabè authorities.

Calls on the EU bodies, including the Special Representative for the Sahel, to elaborate on a new strategy for the Sahel;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Burkinabe Government and Parliament, the African Union, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.​