Blaise Compaoré
President of Burkina Faso from 1987 to 2014 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Blaise Compaoré (born 3 February 1951)[4][5] is a Burkinabé-Ivorian former politician who served as the second president of Burkina Faso from 1987 to 2014. He was a close associate of the first president, Thomas Sankara, during the 1980s and in October 1987 he led a coup d'état during which Sankara was killed. Subsequently, he introduced a policy of 'rectification', overturning the leftist and Third Worldist policies pursued by Sankara. He won elections in 1991, 1998, 2005, and 2010, in what were considered unfair circumstances.[6][7] His attempt to amend the constitution to extend his 27-year term caused the 2014 Burkinabé uprising. On 31 October 2014, Compaoré resigned, whereupon he fled to the Ivory Coast.[8][9] In April 2022, he was found guilty by a special military tribunal of complicity in Sankara’s murder.[10] He is also the longest-serving president of Burkina Faso.
Blaise Compaoré | |
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2nd President of Burkina Faso | |
In office 15 October 1987 – 31 October 2014 | |
Prime Minister | |
Preceded by | Thomas Sankara |
Succeeded by | Honoré Traoré (as transitional head of state) |
Personal details | |
Born | (1951-02-03) 3 February 1951 (age 73) Ziniaré, Upper Volta, French West Africa[1] |
Citizenship |
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Political party | Congress for Democracy and Progress |
Spouse | Chantal Terrasson de Fougères |
Relations | François (brother) |
Nickname(s) | Handsome Blaise[3] |
Signature | |
Military service | |
Allegiance |
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Rank | Captain |
Battles/wars | Agacher Strip War |