Bamako, Mali – In a sweeping move that further consolidates military rule, Mali’s National Transitional Council has approved a controversial bill granting interim President Colonel Assimi Goïta a five-year term in power, renewable indefinitely and without the need for elections.
The bill, adopted on Thursday, also permits the transitional president, members of government, and legislative officials to contest in future presidential and general elections—an indication that military figures could remain dominant in Mali’s political future.
Out of 147 members of the council, 131 voted in favour of the bill, which was initially proposed in April. The legislation states that Goïta’s term can be extended “as many times as necessary” until Mali is deemed “pacified.”
President of the National Transitional Council, Malick Diaw, hailed the move as a significant milestone in Mali’s recovery process. “The adoption of this text is in accordance with the popular will,” he said during the session.
Colonel Goïta, 41, came to power following a military coup in 2021—his second in less than a year. Since then, he has postponed promised elections, banned political parties, and cracked down on dissent, defying calls from regional and international bodies for a return to democratic governance.
His government has shifted alliances, cutting ties with former colonial power France, withdrawing from the West African bloc ECOWAS, and fostering closer relations with Russia. The junta has also attempted to address Mali’s prolonged jihadist insurgency, forming a regional security alliance with neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
