French west Africa has experienced five coups in the past three years. Underpinning most of these coups is hostility towards France, a former colonial authority. Mohamed Bazoum of Niger’s downfall in July 2023 comes after coups in Mali in August 2020, Chad in April 2021, Burkina Faso in September 2022 and Gabon in September 2023.
The perpetrators of these coups have, among their justifications, mentioned the overbearing influence of France and its president, Emmanuel Macron, in their affairs. The influence of France in military affairs and maintenance of dominance in business has been a key cog of the Macron agenda. Unlike other former colonial powers, France still has military bases in Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Gabon.
At the same time, Macron has put forward entrepreneurship as the best form of development assistance. This strategic pivot away from personal relationships with African leaders is rooted in Macron’s neoliberal beliefs. This is a political approach that favours free-market capitalism, deregulation and a reduction in government spending.
