Opposition disunity and electoral rules sharply combined to reduce the opposition s representation in the legislature to well below the 31 percent of the popular vote total opposition parties had received. This further reduced the role of the country s 60 opposition parties in shaping national policy. State patronage boosted ruling party fortunes as the CDP took 101 of 111 national assembly seats. Training and proper administration of justice are also hampered by a lack of resources. National security laws permit surveillance and arrests without warrants.
Police routinely ignore proscribed limits on detention, search, and seizure.
Prison conditions are harsh, with overcrowding, poor diets, and minimal medical attention. Freedom of assembly is constitutionally protected and generally respected, with required permits usually issued routinely. Burkina Faso is a secular state, and religious freedom is respected. A dozen private radio stations, a private television station, and numerous independent newspapers and magazines function with little governmental interference. The media, which are often highly critical of the government, play an important role in public debate.