The European Union, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, on July 27, 2025, called for the immediate release of former Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, detained since the July 26, 2023, coup by the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP).
The joint statement, issued after an emergency EU summit, condemned his house arrest as a violation of democratic norms, demanding free elections within six months. Bazoum, ousted by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, faces treason charges, which his lawyers dismiss as politically motivated.
The junta has restricted aid, impacting 4.3 million food-insecure citizens, per WFP data, prompting ECOWAS sanctions. Macron emphasized France’s historical ties, but Niger’s alignment with Russia and Mali’s junta complicates diplomacy.
The narrative of international pressure is firm, though the junta’s defiance, bolstered by public support on X, suggests a protracted standoff.
