Government and Politics of Mali

Government Type

republic

Administrative Divisions

8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Legal System

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mali dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: Transition President General Assimi GOITA (since 7 June 2021), following a military coup in May 2021 that ousted transitional President Bah N'DAW head of government: Prime Minister General Abdoulaye MAIGA (since 21 November 2022), appointed following the dismissal of Choguel Kokalla MAIGA cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and approved by the transition president elections: Under the previous constitutional order, the president was elected by popular vote for a five-year term with a two-term limit, and the prime minister was appointed by the president. Mali has been under military-led transitional governance since the August 2020 coup. A new constitution was approved by referendum in June 2023, and a return to civilian rule has been repeatedly delayed; transitional authorities have indicated elections could be held in 2024 or later. election results: The most recent competitive presidential election was held in 2013, in which Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA won with approximately 77.6% of the vote in a runoff against Soumaila CISSE. KEITA was reelected in 2018 but was overthrown in a military coup in August 2020.

Legislative Branch

Mali's legislative branch has undergone significant changes following the military coups of 2021. The previously unicameral National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale), which had 147 seats with members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, was dissolved after the August 2020 coup and subsequent political transition. Under the transitional framework established following the May 2021 coup, a National Transitional Council (Conseil National de Transition, or CNT) was established to serve as the interim legislative body. The CNT comprises 147 members appointed from civilian and military representatives and assumed the legislative functions of the former National Assembly during the transition period. The last general elections for the National Assembly prior to the dissolution were held in March and April 2020, in which the Alliance for Democracy in Mali (ADEMA) and the Rally for Mali (RPM) were among the key competing parties. As of 2024, Mali remains under military-led transitional governance, and legislative elections have been repeatedly postponed. The transitional authorities have indicated intentions to restore civilian rule and hold elections, though no confirmed date for a return to an elected legislative body has been established.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political Parties

Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party chairman]; Hope 2002, a coalition of CNID, MPR, RDT, and RPM [leader NA]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME, secretary general]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [leader NA]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA, chairman]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]

Head of State

Transition President General Assimi GOITA, following a military coup in May 2021 that ousted transitional President Bah N'DAW

Head of Government

Prime Minister General Abdoulaye MAIGA, appointed following the dismissal of Choguel Kokalla MAIGA

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

Election Results

Mali's recent political history has been defined more by military intervention than by competitive electoral politics. The country experienced coups in August 2020 and May 2021, both led by Colonel Assimi Goïta, effectively suspending normal democratic processes. Goïta was formally installed as transitional president in June 2021 following the second coup, which removed the civilian transitional president Bah N'Daw and prime minister Moctar Ouane from power. Prior to the 2020 coup, Mali's most recent significant democratic exercise was the July and August 2018 presidential election. Incumbent president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, commonly known as IBK, won re-election in the second round with approximately 67.2 percent of the vote, defeating opposition candidate Soumaïla Cissé, who received roughly 32.8 percent. Turnout in the second round was low, estimated at around 34 percent, reflecting widespread voter apathy and security challenges in parts of the country that prevented many citizens from accessing polling stations. Following the 2021 coup, the military-led transitional government initially agreed under regional pressure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to hold elections and return to civilian rule by February 2022. However, the junta later proposed an extended transition period of up to five years, which prompted ECOWAS to impose significant economic and diplomatic sanctions in January 2022. Those sanctions were partially lifted in July 2022 after the transitional government agreed to a 24-month transition timeline leading to elections. As of the mid-2020s, Mali has yet to hold national elections under the transitional government. A new constitution was approved by referendum in June 2023, with official results showing approximately 96.9 percent in favor, though the referendum was criticized by some opposition groups and civil society organizations over procedural concerns and low participation. Presidential and legislative elections remain pending, with no confirmed final date established as of the latest reporting period. Mali's electoral environment continues to be shaped by ongoing security instability in the north and center of the country, the withdrawal of French and UN peacekeeping forces, and the increasing presence of Russian paramilitary contractors affiliated with the Wagner Group.

Constitution

adopted 12 January 1992

Independence

22 September 1960 (from France)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

International Organization Participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MICAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] (2) 223-833 FAX: [223] (2) 223-712

Capital City

Bamako

Location

12 39 N, 8 00 W

Time Difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

the name in the Bambara language can mean either "crocodile tail" or "crocodile river" and three crocodiles appear on the city seal

U.S. Embassy Bamako ACI 2000, Rue 243 Porte 297, Bamako, Mali Telephone: (223) 20 70 23 00 Consular Section: (223) 20 70 25 05 Emergency after-hours telephone: (223) 20 70 23 01 or 20 70 23 02 Facsimile: (223) 20 70 23 40. Email address: consularbamako@state.gov

Military Branches

Malian Armed Forces: Army (Armee de Terre), Republic of Mali Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (Garde National du Mali)

Service Age and Obligation

18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years