Mali Government Passes Bill Granting Junta Leader Goita Five More Years in Power

Mali’s junta extends military rule, granting Gen. Goita a renewable five-year term, dissolves political parties, delays elections, and cracks down on dissent amid growing authoritarianism.

Mali’s transitional government has moved to entrench military rule, as the Council of Ministers on Wednesday adopted a bill that would grant junta leader General Assimi Goita a renewable five-year term beginning in 2025. This development deepens concerns about the country’s delayed return to democratic governance and the increasing consolidation of power by the military regime.

Goita seized control of Mali through two successive coups, first in August 2020 and again in May 2021, citing corruption and insecurity as justifications. Since then, he has led the country under a transitional charter that was originally expected to pave the way for a return to civilian rule. The new bill, according to a statement from the government, proposes a revision of the current Transition Charter. It would allow the head of state to serve a five-year renewable term starting in 2025, effectively resetting the clock on Mali’s democratic transition.

This legislation stems from national dialogue consultations organized by the military regime in April. However, the credibility of the process has been widely questioned, as major political parties and independent civic groups boycotted the talks. Many observers have called the consultations one-sided and orchestrated to justify the junta’s extended stay in power.

The bill is now awaiting ratification by the National Transitional Council, the legislative body currently operating under the control of the junta. While the council is technically meant to serve as a transitional parliament, it lacks the independence and legitimacy of a democratically elected body.

The latest political maneuver follows a broader crackdown on opposition voices. In May, Goita signed a decree dissolving all political parties, citing the need for national unity and reforms. The move came amid rising public discontent and just days after hundreds of citizens took to the streets in protest. Around the same time, pro-democracy activists began reporting a spike in harassment, arbitrary detentions, and kidnappings—particularly in the capital, Bamako. These repressive actions have effectively eliminated organized opposition and civil liberties, pushing Mali further down an authoritarian path.

This shift has taken place against a backdrop of ongoing violence from jihadist insurgent groups affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State. Since 2012, Mali has struggled to contain militant activity in its northern and central regions, where state presence remains weak. The worsening security situation has been repeatedly used by the junta to justify the need for military rule, despite limited progress in counterinsurgency efforts.

Internationally, Mali has increasingly distanced itself from Western and regional partners. After severing defense ties with France and pushing out UN peacekeepers, the junta has drawn closer to Russia and the Wagner Group, a paramilitary force accused of human rights abuses. This alignment has alarmed many in the international community and further complicated efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union to mediate Mali’s political crisis.

The transitional government had initially promised to hold presidential elections by March 2024, but those elections were indefinitely postponed. To date, no new timeline has been announced. With the proposed five-year renewable term for Goita, many fear that Mali is slipping permanently into authoritarian rule.

Analysts warn that unless significant internal or external pressure is applied, Mali may be setting a precedent that could encourage other military regimes in the region to prolong their hold on power under the guise of national interest and reform.