Ibrahim Traoré Would Like to Be Thomas Sankara’s Heir
Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, has styled himself as the political heir of Thomas Sankara. However, the substance of Traoré’s record since taking power in 2022 is much less ambitious than Sankara’s agenda as president in the 1980s.
Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s leader since 2022, polarizes opinion, not only in his own country but also on the Pan-African and internationalist left. His ambitious projects are an important part of a wider trend in contemporary African politics. (Sergey Bobylev / RIA Novosti / Anadolu via Getty Images)
Ibrahim Traoré, president of Burkina Faso since October 2022, polarizes opinion, not only in Burkina Faso itself but also on the Pan-African and internationalist left. Some cheer for him as the hope for a new Pan-Africanism, the long overdue end of French imperialism in West Africa, and (resource) sovereignty. Others point to the authoritarian traits of the regime and to the repression against trade unionists, civil society activists, and journalists.
The scope of Traoré’s political projects and the pace at which they are being implemented are significant. This is generating enthusiasm, particularly among the young generation, who vehemently reject French neocolonial dominance and are highly frustrated by a gerontocratic political system that is unable or unwilling to deliver reform. However, the question remains whether a military government can be the alternative, and whether the ends justify the means.
Coups to Fight Terrorism
Ibrahim Traoré and his “Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration” (MPSR 2) seized power through a coup d’état on September 30, 2022. Traoré overthrew the previous military government of Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, which had itself only come to power in January 2022 through a coup. Damiba’s junta called itself MPSR.
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