Mali’s military-led government on Wednesday approved a bill granting junta leader Gen. Assimi Goita an extended five-year term.
The move, announced after a Council of Ministers meeting, would revise the Transition Charter to allow a renewable mandate starting in 2025.
Gen. Goita, who seized power through two coups in 2020 and 2021, dissolved political parties in May, tightening his grip on power.
The bill stems from national dialogue talks held in April—consultations boycotted by political parties and widely criticised as undemocratic.
The draft legislation now heads to the National Transitional Council, the unelected legislative body installed by the military regime.
Goita’s crackdown has coincided with increased kidnappings of pro-democracy activists in Bamako and growing unrest among civil society groups.
In early May, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the capital, protesting the regime’s refusal to commit to a civilian transition.
Mali’s political crisis has deepened since 2020, reflecting a wider wave of instability across West and Central Africa.
The country continues to battle jihadist insurgencies linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State, compounding governance and security challenges.
The junta had pledged a return to civilian rule by March 2024, but postponed elections with no new timeline announced.
Analysts warn that the new bill could entrench military rule and further alienate democratic voices in the Sahel nation.