Mali: Goïta Poised to Receive Five-Year Presidential Mandate Without Election

Edited by: Widad WAHBI

The Malian Council of Ministers on Wednesday approved a draft bill granting transitional president General Assimi Goïta a renewable five-year mandate—without the need for an election.

This move follows the recommendations of the recent Inter-Malian Dialogue, held in April, which proposed that the current head of the transition assume the formal status of President of the Republic for a renewable five-year transitional period.

According to an official government communiqué, the draft legislation involves a “revision of the Transitional Charter” that would allow the president to begin a five-year term starting in 2025. The measure also aligns with the conclusions of the National Refoundation Conference held in December 2021, which issued 517 recommendations advocating institutional restructuring before any electoral process could take place.

The proposed law must now be ratified by the National Transitional Council—Mali’s de facto legislative body during the transition.

If confirmed, the move would mark a significant consolidation of power by General Goïta, who has led the country since the 2021 military coup, amid persistent calls from civil society and international actors for a return to democratic governance.