Keypoints:
- Mali’s transitional parliament approves five-year, renewable term for Goita
- Military abandons pledge to restore civilian rule by March 2024
- Political parties banned amid growing authoritarian clampdown
MALI’S military-appointed parliament has granted General Assimi Goita a five-year renewable term as president—without an election—effectively locking in junta rule until at least 2030, according to reporting by AFP.
The decision, adopted on Thursday by the National Transitional Council (NTC), formalises Goita’s stay in power despite earlier commitments to hold elections and transfer authority back to civilian hands by March 2024.
The legislation now awaits Goita’s formal signature. It had already been approved by the Council of Ministers last month.
Pledge to restore democracy abandoned
Goita came to power following two coups in 2020 and 2021, promising to restore constitutional order and prioritise the fight against jihadist insurgencies. But those promises have steadily unravelled.
In early 2025, a military-led national assembly recommended Goita be appointed for a five-year term without election. The transitional parliament has now given that recommendation legal force.
Malick Diaw, president of the NTC, hailed the move as ‘a major step forward in the rebuilding of Mali’, speaking to AFP after the vote.
Parties banned, dissent silenced
The extension of Goita’s term comes amid a broader authoritarian shift. In May, the junta formally banned all political parties, citing a recommendation from the same national assembly. This clampdown on opposition has raised alarms across West Africa, where concerns are growing over the democratic backsliding of military-led governments.
Civic space in Mali has narrowed significantly, with mounting pressure on civil society groups, the press, and political opponents. The junta continues to position itself as the only credible authority capable of stabilising the country.
Mali’s security crisis drags on
Since 2012, Mali has been engulfed in a conflict involving armed Islamist groups, criminal networks, and local militias. The violence, initially concentrated in the north, has since spread nationwide, destabilising neighbouring countries and triggering repeated states of emergency.
Despite the junta’s claims of prioritising national security, attacks have intensified in recent weeks, underscoring the limitations of its military-first strategy.
No vote, no transition—just power consolidation
The initial roadmap promised by Goita’s regime included a transition to civilian rule by March 2024. That deadline has now passed without an election, replaced by legislation that consolidates presidential power in the hands of the military leader himself.
With the junta dissolving political parties, scrapping election timelines, and now legally extending its own authority, Mali’s political future appears firmly under military control.
International observers and regional bodies such as ECOWAS have yet to issue a full response, but the move is expected to deepen tensions and may prompt new calls for sanctions or diplomatic isolation.
A democracy deferred
General Goita’s new term, granted without a single vote cast, marks a dramatic turn in Mali’s political trajectory. While the regime insists the move strengthens national rebuilding, critics say it confirms a full retreat from democratic governance.
Whether Mali can still find a path back to civilian rule remains uncertain. For now, the junta’s grip on power has been legislated into law—and the prospect of elections has been shelved indefinitely.
