Skip to main content
Menu Menu Close
Asia and the Pacific
Western Asia
Flag

Niger

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

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

March 2025

Junta adopts "flexible" transition plan, dissolves political parties

On 26 March, Niger’s junta leader Abdourahamane Tchiani was sworn in as transitional president, formalising a "flexible" five-year transition plan recommended by a national conference in February. This plan was codified in a new transition charter– replacing the constitution –which allows for extensions to the transition timeline depending on the security situation. As part of the plan, the junta dissolved all existing political parties and granted amnesty to participants in the 2023 coup. Also on 26 March, Tchiani was exceptionally promoted from brigadier general to army general. On 1 April, authorities announced the release of around 50 detainees, including former ministers from the ousted government, a diplomat, a journalist, and soldiers linked to past coup attempts. Former president Mohamed Bazoum, however, remains in detention despite repeated international appeals for his release.

Sources: African Press Agency, International IDEA, France 24, Jeune Afrique, The Associated Press

See all event reports for this country

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

Chevron
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%
Tooltip text

Human Rights Treaties

Chevron
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
Tooltip text

Create your monthly alerts

and receive a customized selection of reports directly in your inbox

Sign up

Performance by category over the last 6 months

Representation neutral Representation
Apr 2025
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep 2025
Representation neutral Rights
Apr 2025
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep 2025
Representation neutral Rule of law
Apr 2025
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep 2025
Representation neutral Participation
Apr 2025
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep 2025

Global State of Democracy Indices

Hover over the trend lines to see the exact data points across the years

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

Use the slider below to see how democratic performance has changed over time

0 10