Mali’s military junta ‘suspends’ political party activities; political parties, civil society groups reject suspension & call for free elections

Mali’s ruling junta has issued a decree banning all political party activities until further notice, citing the need to maintain public order, which comes amid calls on the military-run authorities to organize free elections.

Malian political parties and civil society groups jointly rejected on Thursday the ruling junta’s order to suspend political activities and vowed to mount a legal challenge to what one opposition politician called the “dictatorial” move.

“Until further notice, for reasons of public order, the activities of political parties and the activities of a political character of associations are suspended across the whole country,” government spokesman Abdoulaye Maiga said in a statement, citing a decree by junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita.

The decree was announced after more than 80 political parties and civil groups last week issued joint statements calling for presidential elections “as soon as possible” and an end to military rule. But Maiga’s statement did not specify any concrete threats to public order emanating from political parties and there was also no indication on when the suspension would be lifted.

The suspension of party activities was justified by the “sterile discussions” during an attempt at national dialogue earlier this year. While opposition voices have been largely stifled under the junta’s rule, one of the opposition groups pledged in a joint statement to “use all legal and legitimate avenues for the return of normal constitutional order in our country.”

The United States expressed deep concern at the Malian move to halt political party activities, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday, calling on the military leaders to hold free and fair elections.

The ruling party has already sparked concerns from Washington and others by failing to organize polls within a promised 24-month transition back to democracy.

The Sahel country has been ruled by juntas since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, with the deteriorating security situation compounded by a humanitarian and political crisis. Though the junta pledged in June 2022 to hold presidential elections in February 2024 and transfer power back to civilians on 26 March, the vote was postponed indefinitely and the junta gave no further indication as to its intentions.