Burundi: Overview of the 2010 elections and observations on the way forward

The 2010 elections in Burundi were marked by a dominant victory for the ruling CNDD-FDD and a significant boycott by opposition parties following the communal polls. While international observers generally viewed the process as meeting democratic norms, the opposition cited massive fraud and a biased playing field. This resulted in a government and parliament heavily dominated by the CNDD-FDD, raising concerns about the long-term inclusivity of Burundi's democratic consolidation.

• The 2010 elections represented a significant shift from the 2005 polls as they were organized by Burundians themselves rather than the United Nations Mission in Burundi (ONUB), and the president was elected through direct universal suffrage.
• The communal elections on 24 May 2010 saw a high voter turnout of 90.67 per cent, with the ruling CNDD-FDD winning 64.03 per cent of the votes.
• Following the communal polls, a coalition of opposition parties known as the Alliance des Démocrates pour le Changement au Burundi (ADC) rejected the results, alleging 'massive fraud and irregularities'.
• The opposition boycott led to the presidential election on 28 June effectively becoming a referendum, with incumbent President Pierre Nkurunziza re-elected with 91.62 per cent of the vote and a turnout of 76.98 per cent.
• In the legislative elections on 23 July, the CNDD-FDD secured a dominant majority in the National Assembly with 81 seats, while UPRONA received 17 and FRODEBU-Nyakuri received five.
• The new administration's cabinet composition adhered to constitutional ethnic and gender quotas, with 43 per cent of the 21 ministerial posts filled by women.
• The CNDD-FDD's overwhelming majority in parliament limits the need for a consultative approach to governing and places the party only four seats short of the 85 required to make constitutional amendments independently.
• The opposition's decision to boycott is attributed to a perception of a biased playing field, unrealistic performance expectations, weak internal party structures, and a lack of financial means.
• International observers, including the EU-EOM, generally found the elections to be in accordance with international norms, though they noted concerns regarding the use of state resources and the non-publication of minutes (procès-verbaux).
• The report identifies a missed opportunity for the government and international community to constructively engage the ADC, which may have prevented the total loss of faith in the process.

APA

Abdellaoui, J. E. (2010). Burundi: Overview of the 2010 elections and observations on the way forward. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2010_14OctBurundi.pdf

Chicago

Abdellaoui, Jamila El. Burundi: Overview of the 2010 elections and observations on the way forward. Institute for Security Studies, 2010. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2010_14OctBurundi.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Abdellaoui |first1=Jamila El |title=Burundi: Overview of the 2010 elections and observations on the way forward |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=14 October 2010 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2010_14OctBurundi.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{abdellaoui2010burundi, author = {Abdellaoui, Jamila El}, title = {{Burundi: Overview of the 2010 elections and observations on the way forward}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2010}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SitRep2010_14OctBurundi.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }