2014 Burkinabé uprising

2014 Burkinabé uprising
Thousands of protesters march through Ouagadougou
Date	28 October 2014 – 3 November 2014
Location	Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso
Causes	Constitutional electoral law change (abolition of presidential term limits)
Goals	Political reforms, mainly discontinuation of the president's term
Methods	Protests Riots Civil resistance Civil disobedience Demonstrations
Result	Suspension of constitutional amendment bill in parliament. Parliament dissolved. President Blaise Compaoré resigns and flees to Ivory Coast. Yacouba Isaac Zida becomes acting president, amid immediate dispute but eventual resolution.
Parties to the civil conflict
Opposition parties People's Movement for Progress Union for Progress and Reform Union for Rebirth / Sankarist Movement Party for Development and Change National Rebirth Party Le Balai Citoyen Government of Burkina Faso Congress for Democracy and Progress Alliance for Democracy and Federation – African Democratic Rally Armed Forces of Burkina Faso Regiment of Presidential Security
Lead figures
Zéphirin Diabré Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara Simon Compaoré Pargui Emile Paré Roch Marc Christian Kaboré Salif Diallo General Kouamé Lougué (Since 30 October) Saran Sereme Laurent Bado Barry Tahirou Sams’K Le Jah Guy Hervé Kam President Blaise Compaoré Prime Minister Luc-Adolphe Tiao National Assembly Speaker Soungalo Ouattara Lieutenant Colonel Yacouba Isaac Zida General Honoré Nabéré Traoré
Casualties
6 deaths (at least 3 on 30 October) (1 after army takeover)

The Burkinabé uprising was a series of demonstrations and riots in Burkina Faso in October 2014 that quickly spread to multiple cities. They began in response to attempts at changing the constitution to allow President Blaise Compaoré to run again and extend his 27 years in office. Pressure for political change came from civil society and in particular from the country’s youth. Following a tumultuous day on 30 October, which included the involvement of former Defence Minister Kouamé Lougué and the burning of the National Assembly and other government buildings as well as the ruling Congress for Democracy and Progress party's headquarters, Compaoré dissolved the government and declared a state of emergency before eventually fleeing to Côte d'Ivoire with the support of President Alassane Ouattara.

General Honoré Nabéré Traoré announced that a transitional government would run the country until an election within 12 months. After another day of mass protests and initially refusing to resign, after mounting domestic pressure Compaoré resigned from his 27-year presidency on 31 October and Traoré took over as the interim head of state. However, Lieutenant Colonel Yacouba Isaac Zida also staked a claim to be interim head of state citing Traoré's unpopularity. A statement by military chiefs asserted that Zida had their unanimous backing. A coalition of unnamed opposition parties rejected the military takeover. Further protests were called for the morning of 2 November, but were smaller yet there was at least one casualty amidst a police response. The African Union gave the country a fortnight to end military rule from 3 November. By mid-November, a framework was agreed upon unanimously for a transitional executive and legislative administration.