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Niger

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

September 2025

Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali announce withdrawal from the International Criminal Court

On 22 September, the military governments of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali jointly announced their immediate withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling it an ‘instrument of neo-colonial repression’. While the withdrawal will only take legal effect after one year, human rights groups warn the move significantly weakens access to justice, especially as credible domestic mechanisms for investigating atrocity crimes are lacking. The announcement follows a series of joint withdrawals by the three countries, including their coordinated exits the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025. ICC investigations into alleged war crimes in Mali are ongoing, and victims’ groups in Burkina Faso and Mali have recently filed complaints implicating national armies and foreign mercenaries in serious abuses. The three governments say they will instead pursue ‘indigenous mechanisms’ for justice, though observers say such systems do not yet exist in practice, raising concerns of rising impunity.

Sources: Bèki Takè, British Broadcasting Corporation, Human Rights Watch, United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, Radio France Internationale, International Federation for Human Rights

August 2025

Justice sector unions dissolved amid growing restrictions

On 7 August, Interior Minister Gen. Mohamed Toumba signed decrees dissolving four major justice sector unions: the Autonomous Union of Magistrates (Syndicat autonome des magistrats, SAMAN), the Independent Union of Magistrates of Niger (Syndicat indépendant des magistrats du Niger, SIMAN), the National Union of Justice Agents (Syndicat national des agents de justice, SNAJ) and the Union of Executives and Technical Agents of the Ministry of Justice (Syndicat des cadres et des agents techniques du Ministère de la Justice, SYNCAT). The Justice Ministry said the unions had ‘deviated’ from their mission and promoted private interests, while SAMAN condemned the move as ‘arbitrary’ and pledged to challenge it in court. The decision sparked a two-day lawyers’ strike and drew criticism from local bar associations and international rights groups, which warned it undermines judicial independence and freedom of association.

Sources: The Government of Niger, International Crisis Group, Jeune Afrique, Radio France Internationale, Human Rights Watch

June 2025

Niger installs a transitional advisory council to replace dissolved parliament
Watch flag

On 28 June, Niger’s transitional authorities officially installed a transitional advisory council (Conseil Consultatif de la Refondation, CCR), a 194-member body of civilians and military officials tasked with advising the junta on national issues. The council will be in place for the next five years. The CCR replaces the National Assembly, which was dissolved following the July 2023 coup, but it holds no legislative power. Created by decree in April and convened by President Abdourahamane Tiani, the CCR may issue recommendations or proposals but only at the discretion of the executive. Its members were appointed either directly by the Head of State or designated to represent Niger’s eight administrative regions (Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey, Tahoua, Tillabéri, and Zinder), with all appointments ultimately confirmed under the authority of the transitional regime.

Sources: Jeune AfriqueAgence Nigérienne De PresseWest Africa Democracy RadioSahelienConstitution Net

April 2025

Junta releases detainees, but Bazoum and others remain jailed

On 1 April, Niger’s military junta released around 50 individuals detained following the July 2023 coup, including former ministers, a diplomat, a journalist, and soldiers accused in a past coup attempt. However, prominent figures such as ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife remain in detention, despite international and domestic appeals for their release. The releases followed February recommendations from a national conference, but critics say they fall short of addressing wider rights concerns. Civil society groups, including the National Alliance for the Defence of Freedoms (l’Association Nigérienne de Lutte contre la Corruption, ANLC), have condemned ongoing politically motivated detentions and called for the release of all political prisoners. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has also urged the immediate release of Bazoum and his wife, stating their continued detention violates international law.

Sources: ActuNiger, Human Rights Watch (1), Human Rights Watch (2), France 24, British Broadcasting Corporation, International IDEA

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Global ranking per category of democratic performance in 2024

Chevron
Representation
151/173
Rights
76/173
Rule of Law
100/173
Participation
65/173

Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
26 159 867
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
State Party
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
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
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
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
0
/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
0
/1
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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