Bamako, Mali – Mali’s transitional parliament has approved a new bill granting junta leader General Assimi Goïta a renewable five-year presidential term, effectively allowing him to remain in power without elections until at least 2030. The decision, unanimously adopted by 131 out of 147 members of the National Transitional Council, has sparked concerns both within Mali and across the international community over the future of democratic governance in the country.
Gen Goïta, who first came to power in a 2020 coup that ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta amid mass protests and insecurity, seized power again in 2021 after removing the interim civilian government. Despite initial promises to restore civilian rule and hold democratic elections, those pledges have gone unfulfilled.
The new legislation states that the transitional period will last “as many times as necessary” until the country is “pacified,” leaving the duration of military rule open-ended. The bill also permits the transitional president, government officials, and legislators to contest in future presidential and general elections, raising alarms about the entrenchment of military rule.
Supporters of the bill, including the president of the legislative council Malick Diaw, have described it as a “major step forward” in rebuilding Mali, claiming it aligns with the “popular will.” However, civil society groups and human rights defenders fear this move could further suppress political opposition, civil liberties, and dissenting voices.
Since seizing power, Gen Goïta has aligned Mali with other military-led governments in Burkina Faso and Niger, forming a regional bloc that has distanced itself from the West and pivoted towards Russia for military and economic cooperation. All three nations have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), rejecting its calls for a return to democratic rule.
The military regime in Mali has cited the ongoing jihadist insurgency, led by affiliates of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda as justification for delaying elections and centralizing power. However, violence has escalated despite the military’s grip on power, raising questions about the junta’s effectiveness in restoring security.
With this new mandate, General Assimi Goïta is poised to extend his rule and reshape Mali’s political future, as fears grow that the country may be drifting further from democracy and deeper into authoritarian governance.
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