On 19th November, Lt. Col Isaac Zida was named interim prime minister of Burkina Faso, having previously emerged dominant in the military power struggle that followed President Blaise Compaoré's exit at the end of October.
Compaoré - who had himself come to power through a coup d' état - held office in the country for 27 years. Under his rule some democratic institutions have been introduced, but the country remained effectively 'semi-authoritarian', led by a strong executive that has not faced a meaningful electoral challenge thanks in large part to his willingness to use state resources to oppress political opponents and fund its own campaigns.
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