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2023 Referendum
In 2023 June 18, Mali held a referendum on a new constitution. [1]
The proposed constitution expands the power of the ruling military junta
who claims it wants to pave the way to a return to civilian rule. [2].
The referendum is supposed to pave the way for a general election by February 2024.
It is a milestone in the transition of Mali from military rule to democracy.
The Coalition for Citizen Election Observation (COCEM) is observing the election, and reported some irregularities.
Election observer group MODELE reported the closing of dozens of polling stations due to security issues.
Some of the provisions in the new constitution include:
- Strengthen the power of the president to appoint or sack the prime minister and ministers.
- Strengthen the power of the president to dissolve the parliament.
- The power of the parliament will consequentially be somewhat diminished.
- Remove French as Mali's official language.
- Set Mali as an "independent, sovereign, unitary, indivisible, democratic, secular and social republic".
3.23
Full democracyFlawed democracyHybrid regimeAuthoritarian regime
54.48
GoodSatisfactoryProblematicDifficultVery Serious
Mali experienced a political transition away from authoritarian rule beginning in the early 1990s and gradually built up its democratic institutions for about 20 years. However, the country displayed characteristics of state fragility that eventually contributed to a 2012 military coup and a rebellion in northern Mali that erupted the same year. Though constitutional rule was restored and a peace agreement signed in the north in 2015, insecurity and political tensions persisted in the years that followed, culminating in two military coups in 2020 and 2021.
Following the withdrawal of Senegal from the federation in August 1960,
the former Sudanese Republic became the Republic of Mali on 22 September 1960.
Until the military coups of 2012, the politics of Mali took place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic republic.
Further coups in 2020 and 2021 hampered Mali's return to democratic regime.
Men play a dominant role in society, and women continue to suffer from widespread discrimination and domestic violence.
Child labour and trafficking in children as forced labour remain serious problems.
Children's rights in Mali are secured by several laws designed to protect children and provide for their welfare.
However, this is the official account, based on laws that have only a status on paper.
Contemporary problems faced by women in Mali include high rate of violence against women, child marriage and female genital mutilation.
Mali is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to trafficking in persons,
specifically forced labor and, to a lesser extent, forced prostitution.