CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE _____________________________________________________________________ and implementation of public policies) and a functional point of view (e.g. inequity in the financing of electoral campaigns, the extremely prominent role played by the president’s party, partiality on the part of public administrations, the ambiguous role of traditional and religious authorities, the prevalence of socio-cultural constraints, etc.). Consequently, there is a need for the expansion of public space and political dialogue. 70 • Implementation of effective and efficient decentralisation that is capable of serving as a relay for, and leveraging, economic and social development policies at grass-roots level. If the transition to the complete communalisation and regionalisation of Burkina Faso is to be rightly hailed, the implementation of this process will have to overcome the many constraints with which the country is faced (lack of expertise and resources, illiteracy – which is a source of great concern to the people and many local representatives – corruption and political nomadism) and which undermine effectiveness. • Effective separation and balance of powers: if this principle is not clearly stated in the fundamental law, the prepotency of presidential power leads to the subordination of the legislative and judicial branches and, consequently, to the inefficiency of checks and balances that are necessary for any moderate government. The weakness of justice in particular remains a real source of concern, especially in view of the need for both citizens and investors to enjoy legal security. • Building a neutral, efficient and service-minded administration: this, among other measures, necessarily requires the effective depoliticisation of the administration, including the dismantling of political cells operating within administrative services and the cessation of ‘politically specified appointments’. • Involvement of the women and the youth of Burkina Faso in the development, implementation and execution of development policies affecting them remains a real source of concern. Indeed, while significant efforts have been made to establish various funds aimed at women and the youth, there have been real difficulties in accessing these funds. Moreover, the absence of a legislative framework that ensures wider participation by, and greater representation of, women in and on executive and deliberative bodies, as well as the persistence of socio-cultural constraints blocking women’s access to resources and land, constitute a challenge to the achievements and the emancipation of women in Burkina Faso. • Implementation of an effective strategy to combat corruption and impunity: the point is to move from the stage of raising awareness and of sensitisation to efficient and effective combating, notably through the systematisation of judicial sanctions (zero tolerance), for it is clear to everyone that corruption has become a major scourge that destroys efforts in the area of economic and social development and undermines the