Burkina Faso plans for return to civilian rule

Opposition parties, civil society groups and religious leaders adopted a plan on Sunday for a transitional authority to guide Burkina Faso to elections, after a popular uprising forced longtime president Blaise Compaoré from power.

Lt. Col. Isaac Zida declared himself head of state on Nov. 1 after Compaoré resigned and fled the country last month, following mass protests against his efforts to change the constitution to seek reelection in 2015 after 27 years in power.

The West African nation is under pressure to quickly return to civilian rule or face possible international sanctions.

The charter agreed on Sunday, after days of talks in the capital Ouagadougou, is due to be presented to Zida this week. Military representatives did not participate in the negotiations.

The document calls for the creation of a 90-member transitional parliament with 10 military representatives, 40 from the opposition and 30 from civil society. The remaining 10 seats will be allocated to other parties, including Compaoré's former political allies, which did not take part in the talks.

An interim government is proposed, whose 25 members will not be permitted to stand in presidential and legislative elections expected to take place late next year.

"It's a text that seems to unite everyone. Now the sticking point is the choice of the man who will preside over the transition," said Roch Marc Christian Kabore, head of the opposition People's Movement for Progress (MPP) party.

Zida has pledged to quickly hand over power to a civilian transitional leader.

The document drafted on Sunday will be presented to Zida and the military and to allies of Compaoré who may propose changes.

It calls for the creation of a special college to choose a transitional president who will prepare for the elections next year. The body would include seven members from the military, 15 each from the political parties and civil society, and eight religious and traditional leaders.

The 54-nation African Union on Monday gave the military a two-week deadline to return power to civilians or face punishment.

Reuters