Media coverage of Burundi’s crisis has focused on the debate over a third term for President Pierre Nkurunziza, but there are more complex issues at stake. Roland Rugero explains how the failed coup in May intensified divisions within the ruling party and placed Burundi at the center of global fights for influence over the region.

In the end, the failed coup did little to resolve the question of term limits, but it did put Burundi back in the center of fights for regional influence between the West and the Russia-China axis. As this global struggle plays out, it is important to understand that the conflict is about more than a question of constitutional interpretation.

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The African Angle, an initiative of The Africa-America Institute, Fireside Research, and World Policy Journal, seeks to amplify the voices of contemporary African thought leaders speaking on issues of global concern. The views and opinions expressed in the blogs are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Africa-America Institute.