Mali's junta suspends all political activity amid rising dissent and delayed democratic transition.

Mali’s military-led government has announced the suspension of all political activities throughout the country, effective immediately and lasting “until further notice.”
The announcement was formalised in a decree signed on Wednesday by the transitional president, General Assimi Goita. The document cited “reasons of public order” as the basis for the suspension, which applies to political parties as well as civil organisations.

This development comes shortly after a rare pro-democracy demonstration and just days before another protest was scheduled for Friday. The planned protest targeted the military junta that has been in power since staging coups in 2020 and 2021.

Last weekend, hundreds of pro-democracy activists defied warnings from the authorities and took to the streets of the capital, Bamako, to oppose a proposed bill that seeks to dissolve all political parties.
“I’m not surprised, I expected this because it’s their method of stopping us from engaging in our political activities, but we remain committed to defending democracy in Mali,” said Cheick Oumar Doumbia, one of the organisers of the movement.

Political groups, civil society leaders, and union representatives have jointly called for a “swift and credible return to constitutional governance through the conduct of transparent, inclusive, and peaceful elections.”
Although the junta initially pledged to organise elections by February 2022, that timeline has been repeatedly delayed.

This is not the first instance where Mali’s military government has halted political activity ahead of key political decisions. In April 2024, a similar suspension was announced ahead of an “inter-Malian dialogue” which proposed extending the transitional period from two years to five.

In recent years, Mali has aligned more closely with fellow military-led nations Burkina Faso and Niger. Together, they formed the Alliance of Sahel States, following their joint withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Observers have suggested that the alliance is an effort to strengthen the legitimacy of their military regimes in the face of international sanctions and deteriorating relations with neighbouring countries.

All three nations have also severed ties with France, their former colonial ruler, and are now strengthening diplomatic and military partnerships with Russia.
Meanwhile, Mali continues to face increasing security challenges, as armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have intensified their attacks over the past decade, creating a persistent and escalating threat.