La limitation constitutionnelle du nombre de mandats pr sidentiels: une coquille vide? Une analyse du cas du Burundi

Stef Vandeginste

No 2014.04, IOB Working Papers from Universiteit Antwerpen, Institute of Development Policy (IOB)

Abstract: Dans le d bat concernant l ventuelle candidature un mandat pr sidentiel suppl mentaire des pr sidents en exercice au Burundi, en R publique d mocratique du Congo et au Rwanda, on observe une tendance de la part d acteurs politiques et diplomatiques appeler au respect de la Constitution. Appliqu e au cas du Burundi, l analyse juridique pr sent e dans ce papier montre que d importants d fis peuvent se poser en ce qui concerne la mise en application de la norme constitutionnelle consacrant le principe de la limitation du nombre de mandats que peut exercer un pr sident de la R publique. Cette norme n aura, en toute probabilit , aucun effet au moment de l valuation de la recevabilit de l ventuelle candidature de Pierre Nkurunziza aux lections pr sidentielles de 2015 par la Commission lectorale nationale ind pendance (CENI). La seule proc dure qui, avant les lections, permettrait de jeter de la lumi re sur l ligibilit de Pierre Nkurunziza au scrutin pr sidentiel serait celle d une demande d interpr tation de la Constitution adress e la Cour constitutionnelle par Pierre Nkurunziza lui-m me ou par d autres requ rants issus de son parti politique, le CNDD-FDD (Conseil national pour la d fense de la d mocratie Forces de d fense de la d mocratie). Dans ces circonstances, un renvoi la Constitution, aussi louable soit-il, ne remplace pas le choix essentiellement politique faire. In the ongoing debate around presidential term limits and how they apply to the cases of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, national and international political and diplomatic actors have increasingly referred to the need to respect the Constitution. Applied to the case of Burundi, this legal analyses shows that important challenges arise when it comes to implementing the constitutional norm regarding presidential term limits. In all likelihood, this norm will have no effect whatsoever no the decision to be taken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) regarding the admissibility of a candidacy of Pierre Nkurunziza for the 2015 presidential elections. The only procedure through which, before the elections, some light can be shed on Pierre Nkurunziza s eligibility for a third presidential mandate is through an interpretation of the Constitution by the Constitutional Court. This can only be done at the request of Pierre Nkurunziza himself or through a petition which is supported by at least some of the members of parliament who belong to his political party CNDD-FDD (Conseil national pour la defense de la d mocratie Forces de defense de la d mocratie). In these circumstances, merely referring to the Constitution, however laudable in principle, clearly does not replace the essentially political choice to be made.

Keywords: Burundi; constitution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 18 pages
Date: 2014-06
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