Abstract

Mathieu Hilgers

Under the cover of some kind of democratisation, Blaise Comparoé's regime in Burkina Faso has developed the capacity of using and transforming institutions with the sole aim of keeping power. Without being truly democratic, this hybrid system allows parties to be set up and to actually function; it also allows the setting up of civil society organisations, an independent press to exist so that it could ensure for Western countries to back them up. It also managed to project an image of a growing democracy, or at least process in the making, while at the same time it enabled him to strengthen his domination of the political system. This paper suggests an overview of the evolution of political regime and popular representations in Burkina Faso since Compaoré became head of the country.