The military junta in Mali banned all political parties, challenged them, and delayed elections. As oppression deepens, analysts warn that the country’s democratic future depends on balance.
Mali’s military government closed all political parties and political organisations on Tuesday. This follows an increasing number of democratic activists being lured from the streets of the capital Bamako.
It also took place a few days after the democratic rally was held, with protesters demanding a multi-party election.
According to the Mali media, the dissolution of the political party, signed by Mali’s transitional president, Asimi Gaita, cited “reasons for public order” and cited “all associations of political character.”
“Members of disbanded political parties and political organisations are prohibited from holding meetings,” the law said.
A historic retreat for democracy
“The events in Mali over the past few days are a dramatic retreat in democracy,” said Paul Melly, an analyst and consulting fellow at the London-based international affairs think tank.
Mali is a country of “huge importance” due to the protests and democratic coups of the early 1990s, and Mary told DW, adding that “although sometimes interrupted by military coups, there is a long, proud history of elected governments.”
“But at this point, obviously, normal democracy, elected politics, and free expression of opinion have been closed,” analysts said.
“It’s too early to determine whether it’s a short period of time or whether a big event internally or ultimately takes longer vision,” Mary said.
“In the long term, it appears that Malis is unlikely to accept a complete closure of democratic expression,” he said.
Marian’s lawyer Toumany Oumar Diallo suggested that the dissolution of Mali’s political parties leaves no room for legal ambiguity. Without a new legal framework, he said, the organised forms of political expression would be effectively illegal.
Elections are postponed and protesters disappear
Mali has been under military control since the 2020 and 2021 Goita-led coups. The leader assured Marian that the election would take place, but the planned vote in February 2024 was delayed for “technical reasons.”
The election was intended to take place in the second round on February 4th, 2024 in two weeks. No new timelines are provided.
In April, the Minister of Transition Government recommended that Goita’s presidency be extended until 2030.
If the administration took power indefinitely, many ordinary Malis had promised to return to the streets. Several democratic activists have since gone missing, causing fear of wider oppression of objections.
In a statement last week, Human Rights Watch said that two opposition leaders were missing, suggesting that they may have “forcedly disappeared.” Both leaders were part of the protest on May 3rd.
Break promises and erode trust in Mali’s transition
When Goita first came to power in 2020, the West African nation erupted with joy, hoping for more stability in a country plagued by armed militia groups, jihadist attacks and a deep economic crisis.
However, almost five years later, security situations have improved slightly, with violence and murders being reported regularly in areas outside Bamako.
Wolf Racing, head of the Sahel program at the German Conrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), said, “The decision by the Marian government to dissolve political parties is certainly a step back and a disappointment for those who were hoping to vote this year.”
“I hope this is not the end of the Sahel democracy,” Racing said. “There are times of elections, but unfortunately, democracy has a bad reputation in these countries, because corrupt and incompetent politicians have been elected in the past, so elections are unlikely in the short term.”
Mali young people defend the constitution
Opposition leaders say they don’t want to give up the fight for democracy in the former French colony. Alongside these parties, the Youth Group for Respect for the Constitution (CJRC) is a movement defending democratic governance in Mali, known in French as ra respected in French.
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Aisata Li, a member of group and political activists, said she is determined to restore Mali’s democratic principles.
“Obviously, Mali is a country ruled by the rule of law,” she said. She added that despite the risks, people need to face democratic choices.
“There is a risk of oppression,” she told DW. “We are subject to a lot of threats and pressures every day, especially through social networks, private messaging and phone calls.”
“This is a battle that we can win in the long term. Well, I think we’re on the side of the truth, on the side of the law.”
Mahamadou Kane of Bamako contributed the report
