Progressive and Popular Revolution

The Progressive and Popular Revolution is a social and political revolution in Burkina Faso that was started by Burkinabe President Ibrahim Traoré, the current leader of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration, the official name of the ruling military junta of Burkina Faso. The Progressive and Popular Revolution is named after the Democratic and Popular revolution, a name given to the Revolution and social upheaval of the Sankarist era by Thomas Sankara. According to Traoré and supporters, the Progressive and Popular Revolution seeks to build a Pan-African coalition to combat what its supporters call French Neo-Colonialism and Imperialism. It places emphasis on connecting with the Sankara era of Burkina Faso. Its main ideological futures are nationalism and a state-led economy.^[6]

Progressive and Popular Revolution

Part of the coup belt
Supporters greet Ibrahim Traoré
Date	MPSR's first coup and Traoré's rise to power in the MPSR: 24 January 2022 – 30 September 2022 Ibrahim Traoré in power: 30 September 2022 – present (2 years, 10 months and 22 days) Official Declaration of the Progressive and Popular Revolution: 6 April 2025[1] – present (4 months and 15 days)
Location	Burkina Faso
Cause	Discontent with the two-party system Government corruption Extreme poverty and wealth inequality Anger at the previous government's failure to quell the Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso
Motive	Restoration of the Legacy of Thomas Sankara Prevention of Jihadist takeover Expansion of state control of key industries, including Gold and Oil Pan-Africanism Sankarism
Outcome	Suspension of the Constitution of Burkina Faso Founding of the Alliance of Sahel States Expansion of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland Nationalization of foreign owned Gold Mines[2] Cancellation of 4.7 Billion Dollars of Debt[3] Massive infrastructure works, construction of numerous factories Improvement of relations with Russia and China[4] Expulsion of French Troops from Burkina Faso Nearly 70% of the country is now under state control, compared to 40% in 2022[5]

Policies

Domestic

Traoré's policies include nationalization, social welfare programs and opposition to liberalization reforms, particularly the policies of the IMF and the World Bank, which Traoré calls Imperialist.

Traoré also announced that the perpetrators of the killing of Thomas Sankara would be put on trial. The former dictator of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaore and 13 other members of the 1987 Coup were sentenced to life in prison in absentia by a military tribunal.^[7]

The Ministers of the government lowered their salaries by large amounts, up to 50%.^[8] The government also launched large public works programs, leading to constructions of roads, nearly doubling the total amount of roads in Burkina Faso.^[9]

Burkina Faso also became the first former French Colony to produce Tomato Concentrate.^[10] Additionally, Burkina Faso nationalized large swaths of agricultural land, with the eventual goal of total state takeover.^[11]

The Burkinabe Government further stated a goal of Food self-sufficiency, and started agricultural programs and subsidies to work towards food sovereignty by the end of 2025^[12]

Thomas Sankara's body was re-interned in a newly constructed mausoleum in a ceremony overseen by Traoré^[13]

In May 2025, the leaders of Burkinabe ministry of sports and his counterparts from Mali and Niger announced the formation of three youth groups, the Federation of Students of the AES, the Coordination of Student Communicators of the AES and the National Coordination of Student and School Monitoring. The goal they stated was to "be direct channels for youth engagement and revolutionary thinking."^[14]

In June 2025, the Burkinabe government launched an anti desertification program to encourage tree-planting campaigns.^[15][16]

The Burkinabe Government also launched an anti Malaria Campaign by distributing mosquito nets.^[17]

International reactions

The declaration of the Progressive and Popular Revolution was met with vastly differing reactions. In the west, France and the United States expressed condemnation and concern.

The Burkinabe diaspora was mixed in its response.