Blaise Compaoré

Who was Blaise Compaoré?

Blaise Compaoré (French: [blɛz kɔ̃paɔʁe]; born 3 February 1951) is a Burkinabé politician and former military officer who served as the second president of Burkina Faso from 1987 until his government was overthrown in 2014. Born and raised in Ziniaré, Compaoré joined the Burkina Faso Armed Forces (then known as Upper Voltan Armed Forces) at the age of 20 in 1971 where he rose through the ranks. The longest-serving president in Burkinabé history, Compaoré previously served as the Minister of Justice from 1985 to 1987. The pair were seen as close allies until Compaoré led a coup d'état during which Sankara was killed two years later in 1987. After taking office, he introduced a policy of 'rectification', overturning the leftist policies pursued by Sankara.

In 1989, he founded the Organization for Popular Democracy – Labour Movement (ODP–MT), which merged with twelve other political parties to create the Congress for Democracy and Progress (CDP) in 1996. Compaoré won elections that were not considered free and fair in 1991, 1998, 2005, and 2010. Compaoré's attempt to amend the constitution to extend his 27-year term led to the 2014 Burkinabé uprising, leaving him to resign and flee to the Ivory Coast. In April 2022, he was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment after being found guilty of complicity in Sankara’s murder.

Historical significance

Compaoré was a close associate of his predecessor and the country's first President, Thomas Sankara, who appointed Compaoré as Minister of Justice in 1985. Aged 36 when assuming office, Compaoré was the third youngest Burkinabé president, after Ibrahim Traoré and Sankara. Compaoré's legacy is complex, with some crediting him with stability and development, while others criticize his records on human rights, corruption and wealth inequality.