As Burkina Faso approaches its first presidential election since popular protests ousted long-serving President Blaise Compaoré, Burkinabé express broad public support for the country’s democratic process, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey.
The survey, conducted in April-May 2015, shows that most Burkinabé embrace choosing leaders through regular elections and consider it the duty of good citizens to vote. A majority of citizens trust the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) and believe that the last legislative elections in 2012 were mostly or completely free and fair. Burkinabé are less likely to fear election-related intimidation or violence than citizens in most countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Almost two-thirds of Burkinabé say their country is moving in the right direction.
On the other hand, almost half of citizens say that the national economy is doing “very” or “fairly” badly. Concerns about the election environment include bribery of voters, biased media coverage, and the possibility of unfair vote counting.
Interim President Michel Kafando enjoys strong approval ratings, and public trust in the president and Prime Minister Yacouba Isaac Zida is high. Trust in the parties associated with Compaore’s allies is low.
Survey findings related to Burkina Faso’s elections and democracy are detailed in Afrobarometer dispatch No. 59 and dispatch 61.
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