In 2015 President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi announced he was going to run for a third term, which sparked protests from those opposing another term in office. Those opposing his third term said it was a violation of the constitution. The protests lasted for a few weeks but still the court approved Nkurunziza’s running for office. During the weeks of demonstration before the election dozens were killed and 175,000 people fled to nearby countries to escape the violence. Nkurunziza won the majority vote and afterwards a politician from the opposition said they should form a national unity government in order to avoid a civil war.