On 23rd June in Burkina Faso the so-called Consultative Council on Political Reform (Conseil consultatif sur les réformes politiques – CCRP) was inaugurated. Its report was presented to President Blaise Compaoré who delivered a speech on the topic on 21 July. The opposition boycotted the CCRP.

As far as I know, the report is not available. The elephant in the room is Art. 37. This is the article stating that the president can only be re-elected once. The question is, after 23 years in power, whether or not President Compaoré will want and be able to change the constitution to allow him to stay in office at the end of his current term. There has been a lot of unrest recently, but his hold on power seems secure.

Even though the report does not seem to make any recommendations as regards this article, a report in Afriquinfos suggests that the CCRP has recommended the maintenance of the semi-presidential system, an increase in the number of deputies and the creation of an upper chamber. The latter reforms would no doubt allow the regime to distribute extra benefits to key constituencies.

There is a suggestion that the CCRP has recommended that no presidential candidate can be aged more than 70 (Compaoré is 60). It also seems to recommended that all presidents of the country since independence should have immunity from prosecution after they leave office. For me, this latter reform is key. If President Compaoré can be sure that he will not be pursued when he leaves office, then the chances of him willingly doing so and allowing at least some sort of alternation in power will surely be increased.