"Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Niamey on Saturday to protest against a European Parliament resolution calling for the release of former president Mohamed Bazoum, with civil society groups accusing the European Union of political interference in Niger's internal affairs. Speaking at the rally, civil society leader Abdourahamane Oumarou said France was attempting to reassert its influence in the region through European institutions. "It is now seeking to return through diplomatic pressure and institutional manipulation. But the people of the Sahel are no longer fooled," he said. He went on to stress what he described as a shift in regional dynamics. "What truly troubles them is the assertion of a sovereign Sahelian space, free in its choices and determined to control its own destiny," Oumarou added. He also called for wider mobilisation across the region, urging 'a massive and peaceful civic mobilisation' in all member states of the Alliance of Sahel States to 'reaffirm the unwavering commitment of our peoples to their sovereignty’ and reject ‘any form of external interference.' The protests come after the European Parliament adopted a resolution urging Niger’s military authorities to release Bazoum, who has been detained since the July 26, 2023, coup that brought the current leadership to power. Since the coup, relations between Niger and Western partners, particularly France, have deteriorated sharply, with French troops withdrawn from the country and the new authorities pivoting towards regional alliances within the Sahel. Niger, alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, has since formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), positioning itself as a bloc advocating for greater political independence and reduced external influence, amid ongoing security challenges and shifting geopolitical alignments in the region."