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Niger

https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/

February 2025

National commission recommends five-year democratic transition, new constitution, and amnesty
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On 20 February, a national commission tasked with planning Niger’s transition to civilian government submitted its recommendations to the ruling junta. The commission consulted more than 700 delegates including lawyers, architects and teachers, though not political parties, who boycotted the process. The recommendations include a minimum five-year transition to civilian rule, the dissolution of all existing political parties and new rules that limit the number of political parties to five. The commission also proposed drafting a new constitution and granting amnesty to all participants in the 2023 coup. Further, it suggested allowing junta officials, including leader Brig. Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, to contest future elections. Tchiani welcomed the recommendations and pledged to support them, but the junta has yet to decide whether to formally adopt the plan and set the official transition timeline.

Sources: ActuNiger, Reuters, AP News, Human Rights Watch, Radio France Internationale (1), Radio France Internationale (2)

Junta tightens restrictions on humanitarian organizations, expels Red Cross

Niger’s junta has intensified restrictions on humanitarian organizations, ordering the closure of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) offices and expelling its expatriate staff on 4 February. The government formally terminated its agreements with the humanitarian organization but provided no official explanation. The ICRC had operated in Niger for 35 years, assisting victims of violence in conflict-affected regions – providing healthcare services to more than 120,000 people in 2024 alone. The ICRC is not the only humanitarian organization to have had its license revoked. On 12 November 2024, the French NGO Acted and its Nigerien partner APBE (Action for Well-being) also lost their authorization without any stated justification. Civic space in Niger has continued to shrink, with authorities increasingly citing national sovereignty to justify the tightening of controls on humanitarian and civil society organizations.  

Sources: Aïr Info, Radio France Internationale, Jeune Afrique

December 2024

Military junta suspends BBC operations

On 12 December, Niger’s military junta suspended the British Broadcasting Corporation’s (BBC) radio broadcasts in the country for three months, citing its alleged role in disseminating information that could “destabilize social order and demoralize the military”. BBC programmes, aired via local radio partners in Hausa and French, reached a wide audience. While authorities provided no further details of their allegations, the suspension follows BBC reports on jihadist attacks in the Tillabéri region in early December, which reportedly left 91 soldiers and nearly 50 civilians dead. Though radio broadcasts are suspended, the BBC website remains accessible, and shortwave transmissions continue. The decision expands previous media restrictions on domestic as well as French outlets such as France 24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI). Press freedom groups condemned the suspension, warning of increasing repression of independent journalism under military rule.

Sources: Le Sahel, British Broadcasting Corporation, The Associated Press, The International Federation of Journalists

October 2024

Citizenship revocations target political opponents

On 10 October, Niger's transitional government, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, issued a decree provisionally revoking the citizenship of nine former senior officials from the administration of the ousted Mohamed Bazoum, citing threats to national security. All nine individuals are currently in exile, and eight reportedly hold only Nigerien passports, potentially rendering them stateless. Among those affected were Rhissa Ag Boula, Bazoum’s former advisor, Generals Mahamadou Abou Tarka, head of the High Authority for the Consolidation of Peace, and Karingama Wali Ibrahim, former head of the presidential guard. The decree relies on a terrorism database criticized for lacking international safeguards and providing no adequate mechanisms for appeal, raising questions about due process.

Sources: Tantaminfo, X, Jeune Afrique, Human Rights Watch

September 2024

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger launch joint media platform
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On 16 September, the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced the launch of a joint indigenous media platform following the suspension of French news outlets in the region. This initiative, a web-based television channel, is intended to provide state-controlled information and counter what the governments describe as biased foreign reporting. The media launch comes amid growing restrictions on press freedom in these countries, where military-led governments have expelled several international media organizations. The creation of this platform reflects a broader trend in the Sahel of increasing government control over information and an erosion of media independence.

Sources: France24, Anadolu Agency, International IDEA

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Global ranking per category of democratic performance in 2023

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Representation
154/173
Rights
78/173
Rule of Law
103/173
Participation
49/173

Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
27 202 843
System of government
Semi-Presidential system (formerly)
Head of government
Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine (since 2023)
Head of government party
Not applicable
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
Not applicable
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2020
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
Not applicable
Head of state
General Abdourahamane Tchiani (de facto)
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (two-round majority)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
03/05/2021
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
97.64%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
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International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
State Party
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
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Equal Remuneration Convention
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Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
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Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
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Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights
State Party
in
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Performance by category over the last 6 months

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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Explore the indices
Representation
Representation
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/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
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/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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