The sweeping legislation, passed unanimously on Thursday by 131 of the National Transitional Council’s 147 members, allows Gen Goïta to remain in office until at least 2030.
Mali’s transitional parliament has granted the country’s military ruler, Gen Assimi Goïta, a new five-year presidential term that can be renewed indefinitely, cementing his grip on power and dashing hopes for an imminent return to democratic rule.
The sweeping legislation, passed unanimously on Thursday by 131 of the National Transitional Council’s 147 members, allows Gen Goïta to remain in office until at least 2030.
BBC reports that the bill states that his mandate may be extended “as many times as necessary” until the West African country is deemed “pacified.”
Gen Goïta, 41, seized power twice in recent years, first toppling President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta in August 2020 amid widespread protests over corruption and a spiralling jihadist insurgency. He staged a second coup in May 2021, ousting the civilian interim government established to oversee the promised transition back to civilian rule.
At the time, Gen Goïta vowed to hold democratic elections in 2022—a pledge that has repeatedly been delayed.
“The adoption of this text is in accordance with the popular will,” said Malick Diaw, president of the National Transitional Council, describing the move as “a major step forward in the rebuilding of Mali.”
However, the move has fuelled fears of a deepening authoritarian turn, especially after the junta banned all political parties in May amid an escalating crackdown on dissent. Critics warn the prolonged military rule could stifle opposition voices and derail Mali’s democratic future.
The new bill also allows the transitional president, cabinet ministers, and members of the transitional parliament to contest future presidential and legislative elections.
Meanwhile, the security crisis that initially propelled Gen Goïta to power shows no sign of abating. On Tuesday, jihadist fighters linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda launched coordinated attacks on military posts across several towns—the third major assault on Malian forces in a month.
Since seizing power, Goïta has aligned Mali more closely with Russia, severing ties with former colonial power France and withdrawing from the regional bloc Ecowas over its demands for a swift return to democratic governance. Neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, also under military rule, have similarly exited Ecowas and formed a new alliance with Mali.
Despite Gen Goïta’s promises to stabilise the country, violence has continued—and in some areas intensified—since the junta took charge.
