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Mali’s military ruler, General Assimi Goïta, has received the backing of key political allies to remain in power for the next five years, a move that signals a deepening of military rule and casts further doubt on the country’s return to democracy.
Goïta, 41, seized power in two coups — first in August 2020, toppling President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, and again in May 2021, removing the civilian-led transitional government. He was named transitional president after the second coup, pledging to hold elections in 2022 — a promise he has since abandoned.
This week, a national dialogue forum convened by the ruling junta — but boycotted by major opposition parties — recommended that Goïta remain in power until 2030. The forum also advised suspending all election-related activities until “peace” is restored in the country.
Goïta has not yet publicly responded to the recommendations, but many observers view the forum as a calculated step toward legitimising indefinite military rule.
Over the weekend, opposition politician Mohamed Salia Touré warned that suppressing Mali’s multi-party system would be a “historic error.”
Amnesty International also raised concerns. In a statement on Wednesday, the rights group condemned what it described as a proposal to dissolve all political parties in the country. Ousmane Diallo, Amnesty’s Sahel researcher, said such a move would be a “flagrant attack on the rights to freedom of expression and association.”
It remains unclear whether the proposal targets all political parties or only those that fail to meet certain conditions.
Since coming to power, Goïta has tightened his grip on Mali. His junta has withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and formed a regional alliance with fellow military regimes in Burkina Faso and Niger. All three countries have expelled French forces and turned toward Russia for security and diplomatic support.
Goïta, promoted from colonel to five-star general last year, continues to lead the fight against jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State, though the insurgency has only intensified.
As Mali drifts further from democratic norms, regional and international concerns are mounting over the growing trend of authoritarianism in the Sahel.
