Mali’s junta chief, General Assimi Goita, has granted himself a five-year presidential mandate, renewable indefinitely and without election.
The new law, made public Thursday after Goita signed it Tuesday, allows him to remain in power until at least 2030.
This move follows the military-appointed legislative body’s approval last week and defies the junta’s earlier pledge to restore civilian rule by March 2024.
The law declares Goita can serve “as head of state for a term of five years, renewable as many times as necessary, until the country is pacified.” Mali’s military government has increasingly restricted freedoms, dissolving political parties and banning meetings to tighten its grip on power.
Earlier this year, a junta-led consultation—boycotted by most political groups—recommended naming Goita president without a vote and dissolving political parties. Since seizing power, Goita emphasized Mali’s fight against militant violence and promised to hand power back to civilians, a promise he has not kept.
His rule has shifted Mali’s foreign alliances, breaking ties with France and pivoting toward Russia and neighboring junta-led states. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger formed the Alliance of Sahel States and created a joint 5,000-strong force for regional military operations.
Russian mercenaries assisting Mali’s army face frequent accusations of human rights abuses amid a worsening insurgency. Since 2012, violence linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS has ravaged Mali, with attacks intensifying in recent weeks.
Despite turmoil, Goita retains support among some Malians who see him as a figure of reform and newfound sovereignty. His extended mandate deepens Mali’s political crisis, raising concerns about democracy and stability in the volatile Sahel region.
