Burundi Votes in Election Marked by Opposition Absence

Burundi held parliamentary elections on Thursday, June 5, but with the main opposition sidelined, the outcome was all but guaranteed. The ruling National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD-FDD) party, led by President Evariste Ndayishimiye, faced little resistance at the polls after the National Freedom Council (CNL)—its closest rival—was suspended and internally dismantled in a move widely believed to be orchestrated by the government. Former CNL leader Agathon Rwasa and his allies were barred from running, leaving voters with few alternatives. As Burundi battles soaring inflation, widespread shortages, and deepening public frustration, analysts suggest the ruling party is tightening its grip amid a worsening socio-economic crisis. With no real competition, the vote is expected to entrench authoritarian rule in a nation long plagued by instability and repression.

DW