Mali’s military ruler, General Assimi Goita, has signed a controversial bill into law granting himself a fresh five-year presidential mandate, renewable indefinitely and without an election.
The law, approved by the military-appointed legislature last week and signed by Goita on Tuesday, follows recommendations from a national dialogue held in April—boycotted by opposition parties. It effectively extends his rule until at least 2030, despite earlier promises to transition back to civilian government by March 2024.
Goita, who came to power through two coups in 2020 and 2021, has increasingly tightened his grip on the West African country. In May, he dissolved all political parties by decree amid a rise in abductions of pro-democracy activists in Bamako, just days after a public demonstration.
The new law is seen as part of a broader pattern of shrinking political freedoms and growing authoritarianism under Mali’s junta, as the country continues to battle jihadist violence and widespread instability.
Mali, located in the heart of the Sahel, remains one of several countries in West and Central Africa grappling with military takeovers and fragile democratic institutions.
