Hollande urges African leaders to respect constitutional terms

French President Francois Hollande has urged African leaders to respect their constitutional term limits, and expressed concern that some were prepared to risk political instability in order to remain in power. Hollande spoke in Cotonou during a two-day African visit.
He said six people were killed in violent clashes in Burundi, where opposition parties are furious over the decision of President Pierre Nkurunziza to seek a third term, which they say was unconstitutional. Hollande noted that Burkina Faso’s longtime ruler, Blaise Compaore was toppled in a popular uprising last October, after making a similar attempt to remain in power.
“We witnessed it again in Burkina Faso. Today in Burundi we are seeing the consequences. The French president insisted that when constitutional rules are not respected, are not shared, then there are risks and there are consequences. Hollande said France was concerned about its security, because what was happening in Africa has consequences in Europe. –