HASn Mali, the transition is turning a corner. The legislative body installed by the military in power adopted Friday, June 17 an electoral bill, a prerequisite for the organization of elections and a return of civilians to power, after having reworked it against the will of the government. This text, which must now be promulgated by President Assimi Goïta, notably establishes a single body for managing elections instead of a contested tripartite system.
It was voted by the National Transitional Council (CNT, whose members were appointed by the military) with 115 votes for, 3 against and no abstentions.
The Malian government had indicated that once this electoral law had been adopted, it could very quickly present to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) the timetable it was requesting, with details of the stages that would lead to elections preceding the return of civilians to power.
Many changes
“The act we have just taken is historic. We have just provided Mali with a new electoral law. It was not a foregone conclusion, the path was strewn with pitfalls, but we succeeded”, welcomed Colonel Malick Diaw, president of the CNT.
The CNT adopted 92 amendments to the draft proposed by the government, out of 219 articles.
Among them, the backbone of the single body, called the Independent Election Management Authority (AIGE), has been significantly modified: from 7 members, 4 of whom are appointed by the Prime Minister, to 15 members, 3 of whom are appointed by the President and only one by the Prime Minister.
Political parties and civil society must appoint seven. The others are appointed by various public authorities.
Awaiting final text
The government of Choguel Kokalla Maïga, represented by the Minister Delegate for Political and Institutional Reforms Fatoumata Sékou Dicko, said “it does not recognize itself” in these modifications.
The adoption of this bill comes in a context of tight negotiations between Mali and ECOWAS. Since the military took power in August 2020, the latter has been pushing for a rapid return of civilians to the head of this country, which has been plunged into a deep security and political crisis since 2012. On January 9, it inflicted severe commercial and financial retaliation measures on Mali to stop the colonels’ project, which was then to lead for up to five additional years.
In early June, Mali set the deadline for the transition to March 2024 by decree.
