Mali junta grants Goïta indefinite rule, deepening shift from democracy

Mali’s military government has formally granted junta leader General Assimi Goïta a five-year presidential term, renewable indefinitely and without elections, marking a sharp turn away from democratic governance in the Sahel nation.
The new law, adopted unanimously by 131 members of the National Transitional Council last week, states Goïta’s power may be extended “as many times as necessary” until Mali is “pacified.” Originally pledging to restore civilian rule by March 2024, the junta has since postponed elections indefinitely and disbanded all political parties in May. “This is a major step forward in the rebuilding of Mali,” said Malick Diaw, president of the transitional legislature. Critics, however, view it as entrenching military rule under the guise of national stability.
The 41-year-old army colonel first seized power in 2020 and consolidated control with a second coup in 2021. The revised charter now allows him and other junta members to run in future elections, although no timeline has been set. The move follows the ousting of Prime Minister Choguel Maiga in late 2024 after he criticized election delays. Human rights groups warn the junta’s sweeping crackdown on dissent threatens civic freedoms. Regionally, Mali has aligned with Niger and Burkina Faso in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), forging military and political ties with Russia while severing relationships with former allies like ECOWAS and France.