Armin-Paul Hampel, a German politician for the party Alternative for Germany (AfD) and a former member of the Bundestag, the German parliament, has said that the situation in Gabon are a serious blow to France and show that African countries are tired of the West's policies.
"This is a terrible blow for France, which has managed to maintain its influence in West Africa since colonial times, after Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and finally Niger, Gabon is abandoning the established French system that kept West Africa in the orbit of the Western powers," Hampel told Sputnik.
The German politician noted that the current coup in the Central African country shows how tired the African continent is of Western support for dictators.
Hampel ruled out that the wave of military coups in Africa would spread to other former French colonies such as Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon and Senegal, but stressed that the influence of Russia and China in the region would increase.
On the other hand, he believes that Western countries will not be able to conduct a military intervention in Africa because it will be perceived as a new colonial war.
Earlier in the day, the Gabonese military, in a televised address, announced the annulment of the results of the recent presidential elections won by President Ali Bongo Ondimba for a third term, the dissolution of all state institutions and the closure of the country's borders.
The Gabonese military leaders confirmed that they would "put an end to the current regime in the country" and promised to respect the country's obligations to the international community.