constituteproject.org PDF generated: 18 Apr 2016, 15:28 TITLE II: OF THE STATE AND OF NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY • Official religion • Separation of church and state • Type of government envisioned Article 31 Burkina Faso is a democratic, unitary and secular State. Faso is the republican form of the State. Article 32 National sovereignty belongs to the people who exercise it under the conditions specified by this Constitution and by the law. • Secret ballot • Claim of universal suffrage Article 33 Suffrage is direct or indirect and exercised under the conditions specified by the law. Direct suffrage is always universal, equal and secret. • National anthem • National flag • National motto Article 34 The symbols of the Nation are constituted by an emblem, by a coat-of-arms, by an anthem and by a motto. The emblem is the tri-colored flag of rectangular and horizontal form, red and green with, in its center, a yellow-gold star of five points. • The law determines the coat-of-arms as well as the signification of its constituent elements. • The national anthem is the DITANYE. • The motto is: UNITE - PROGRES - JUSTICE [Unity - Progress - Justice]. • Official or national languages • Protection of language use Article 35 The official language is French. The law establishes the modalities of the promotion and of the official use of the national languages. TITLE III: OF THE PRESIDENT OF FASO • Name/structure of executive(s) Article 36 The President of Faso is the Head of the State. He sees to the respect of the Constitution. He establishes the principal orientations of the policy of the State. He incarnates and assures the national unity. Burkina Faso 1991 (rev. 2012) Page 8