Mali’s Goita signs controversial law granting unlimited presidential rule

Bamako, Mali: Mali’s military leader, General Assimi Goita, has signed into law a controversial bill granting himself a five-year presidential term renewable “as many times as necessary”, effectively scrapping elections and extending his rule indefinitely.

The new legislation, which became public on Thursday, July 10, follows its passage last week by Mali’s military-appointed Transitional Legislative Assembly.

The law was quietly signed by Gen Goita on Tuesday, before its details were leaked to the public.

The move represents a major reversal from the military junta’s earlier pledge to return the country to civilian rule by March 2024, a deadline that had been backed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other international partners.

According to the law, Goita will continue to govern Mali “until the country is pacified,” a vague clause that observers fear could indefinitely delay elections under the pretext of insecurity in the jihadist-hit Sahel nation.

The Council of Ministers, Mali’s cabinet led by the military, had endorsed the measure in June, citing national stability and security challenges. The junta argues that prolonged leadership is necessary to consolidate internal order and expel foreign influence, particularly Western military partnerships.

Democratic Backsliding Raises Alarms

The controversial law has drawn widespread condemnation, with critics calling it a blatant power grab and a further erosion of Mali’s fragile democratic institutions. Human rights groups, civil society organisations, and opposition figures warned that the absence of electoral timelines deepens authoritarianism.

“This law consolidates dictatorship and tramples on the hopes of millions of Malians who believed in a return to democratic governance,” said a spokesperson from the Mouvement du 5 Juin, a coalition of civil society activists who helped topple former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta in 2020.

Goita, who came to power following two military coups in 2020 and 2021, initially presented himself as a transitional leader committed to reform and elections. However, recent decisions—such as expelling French troops, banning opposition protests, and aligning with Russia’s Wagner mercenaries—have highlighted a shift toward autocracy.

Mali’s international partners, including ECOWAS, the African Union, and the European Union, have yet to formally respond to the new law. But diplomatic sources indicate that fresh sanctions may be considered if a credible election roadmap is not restored.