Mali’s Council of Ministers on Wednesday adopted a controversial bill granting military junta head Gen. Assimi Goita an additional five years in power, starting in 2025.
This move follows the regime’s May dissolution of political parties and aligns with recommendations from an April national dialogue boycotted by those parties.
Gen. Goita has led the West African nation since orchestrating coups in 2020 and 2021.
The bill now awaits ratification by the National Transitional Council.
Earlier in May, Goita dissolved political parties amidst rising opposition and a surge in pro-democracy activist kidnappings in Bamako, coinciding with a demonstration.
Mali, a landlocked Sahel nation, has faced political instability and a worsening jihadi insurgency, experiencing two coups since 2020.
The junta had pledged a return to civilian rule by March 2024 but postponed elections, with no new date set.
