Revisiting Burkina Faso Military Coups of 2022: Implications on West African Democracy

Abstract There-emergence of coups in West Africa is a 21st century trend. The purpose of this study was to analyze the nature of the coup(s) in Burkina Faso and its impact on West African democracy. The study, which was design ed qualitatively in an exploratory manner, provided data to be analyzed and present ed in a systematic and theoretical approach, allowing it to explain the reasons for the military coup d'état in January and September 2022, which impact ed on the democratic process in Burkina Faso due to the increased popularity and acceptance of the junta headed by Captain Ibrahim Traore. The study also found that, the euphoria that accompanied the Burkina Faso coups also facilitated the change of governments in another neighboring West Africa country – Niger – in the context of the absence of political leadership, economic crises, weaknesses in state institutions and security issues. The study also found that today's military coup resurgence in West Africa is a failure of state governance and democratic processes as people prefer to have an authoritarian regime. The Study recommend ed on public interest and return to democratic rule in Burkina Faso, enhancement of ECOWAS peer-review mechanism on governance for member-countries, other measures to counter the frequent coup d'etats in Burkina Faso and West Africa. Keywords: Coup; Democracy; Military and Military Regimes