Burkina Faso presidential elections, 2005
Encyclopedia
A presidential election was held in Burkina Faso
on November 13, 2005. The incumbent president, Blaise Compaoré
, was currently leading with about 80% of the vote.
Compaoré has been in power since October 1987, was first elected in 1991, and was re-elected in 1998. In August 2005, he announced his intention to run for a third term as President. Opposition politicians argued that Compaoré could not run in the election because a constitutional amendment passed in 2000 limits a president to two terms. The amendment also reduces the term length from seven to five years. Compaoré's supporters, however, argued that the amendment could not be applied retroactively.http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48557&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=BURKINA_FASO
In October 2005, the Constitutional Council ruled that because Compaoré was President in 2000, the amendment would not apply until the end of his current mandate, thereby allowing his candidacy in the 2005 election.
The President of Burkina Faso has strong, executive power, and appoints the Prime Minister. Compaoré was widely expected to win. His popularity rating was placed at 61.2%, and of the twelve opposition candidates, his most notable opponent Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara
, the candidate for the Alternance 2005 coalition, had only 5% of the population's support.
The most contentious political issues facing the nation's government are freedom of press, economic viability, and tension with neighboring Côte d'Ivoire
caused by alleged Burkinabé support for Ivorian insurgents and the migration of workers to the Ivory Coast and Ghana
.
Compaoré's campaign manager Salif Diallo
expressed confidence in his candidate: "Our objective is not the victory of our candidate in the first round - that's already a sure thing, given the mobilisation of our supporters and the popularity of our candidate. Our goal is rather that the turnout and the lead be high."
On October 27 and 28, 18 labour unions called a two-day strike for higher salaries and pensions, and lower taxes on basic necessities. While in Gaskinde, Sankara supportively stated, "The labour union strikes demonstrate that the citizens have had enough of this government."
Following Compaoré's projection of victory, he thought he would be sworn in for another term on December 20, 2005 in Ouagadougou
.
However they still have not counted all the votes
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
on November 13, 2005. The incumbent president, Blaise Compaoré
Blaise Compaoré
Blaise Compaoré has been the President of Burkina Faso since 1987 following a coup d'état that ousted then-President Thomas Sankara. In 2011, a mutiny by soldiers over unpaid housing allowances forced him to flee the capital for his hometown...
, was currently leading with about 80% of the vote.
Compaoré has been in power since October 1987, was first elected in 1991, and was re-elected in 1998. In August 2005, he announced his intention to run for a third term as President. Opposition politicians argued that Compaoré could not run in the election because a constitutional amendment passed in 2000 limits a president to two terms. The amendment also reduces the term length from seven to five years. Compaoré's supporters, however, argued that the amendment could not be applied retroactively.http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=48557&SelectRegion=West_Africa&SelectCountry=BURKINA_FASO
In October 2005, the Constitutional Council ruled that because Compaoré was President in 2000, the amendment would not apply until the end of his current mandate, thereby allowing his candidacy in the 2005 election.
The President of Burkina Faso has strong, executive power, and appoints the Prime Minister. Compaoré was widely expected to win. His popularity rating was placed at 61.2%, and of the twelve opposition candidates, his most notable opponent Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara
Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara
Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara is a Burkinabé politician and the President of the Union for Rebirth/Sankarist Movement party....
, the candidate for the Alternance 2005 coalition, had only 5% of the population's support.
The most contentious political issues facing the nation's government are freedom of press, economic viability, and tension with neighboring Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
caused by alleged Burkinabé support for Ivorian insurgents and the migration of workers to the Ivory Coast and Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
Compaoré's campaign manager Salif Diallo
Salif Diallo
Salif Diallo is a Burkinabé politician who served as a minister in the government of Burkina Faso during the 1990s and 2000; he has been the Burkinabé Ambassador to Austria since January 2009...
expressed confidence in his candidate: "Our objective is not the victory of our candidate in the first round - that's already a sure thing, given the mobilisation of our supporters and the popularity of our candidate. Our goal is rather that the turnout and the lead be high."
On October 27 and 28, 18 labour unions called a two-day strike for higher salaries and pensions, and lower taxes on basic necessities. While in Gaskinde, Sankara supportively stated, "The labour union strikes demonstrate that the citizens have had enough of this government."
Following Compaoré's projection of victory, he thought he would be sworn in for another term on December 20, 2005 in Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais...
.
However they still have not counted all the votes