“To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”- Nelson Mandela.

Mali’s democratic journey began with hope. After decades of authoritarian rule following independence from France in 1960, the country entered a new chapter in 1991, when mass protests and a military-backed transition brought an end to Moussa Traoré’s dictatorship. A new constitution was adopted, establishing multiparty democracy, freedom of expression, and civilian governance as the country’s guiding principles.

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Mali gained recognition as a democratic bright spot in West Africa. Regular elections, active civil society, and relative political stability earned it praise, even as deep-rooted challenges like poverty, weak institutions, and regional disparities persisted beneath the surface.

But that democratic promise began to unravel after a 2012 military coup, triggered by growing insecurity and dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of a separatist rebellion and extremist violence in the north. Although constitutional rule was later restored, instability remained, laying the groundwork for further democratic erosion.

From Transition to Consolidation of Power

In 2020, a new military coup, led by Colonel Assimi Goïta, overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta following mass protests. A second coup followed in 2021, with Goïta assuming leadership of the transitional government. Though the junta initially committed to an 18-month return to civilian rule, that timeline has since stretched with little accountability.

In April 2024, the regime held a national consultation process to revise political frameworks. The process was widely boycotted by major political parties. Still, it produced recommendations to dissolve existing political parties, tighten restrictions on party formation, and extend the transition, granting Goïta eligibility for a renewable five-year presidential term starting in 2025. Days later, these ideas were codified through a presidential decree, officially abolishing Mali’s multiparty system.

This move marked a serious break from Mali’s own 2023 Constitution, which enshrines the right of political parties to operate freely, and from the country’s broader international obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Civic Space Under Pressure

The abolition of political parties is not Mali’s only democratic backslide, Since early 2024, authorities have restricted media coverage of politics, suspended civic organisations with perceived political links, and arrested opposition figures and party leaders on vague charges such as “plotting against state authority.”

According to Amnesty International, these moves amount to a direct attack on civic space and violate the right to freedom of association. The organisation warns that criminalising dissent and dissolving political parties risks undermining stability, not reinforcing it.

In June 2024, eleven political leaders were detained for opposing the military’s consolidation of power. Though later released, their arrest sent a chilling message to others who might raise their voices.

Regional Trends and the Sahel’s Democratic Crossroads

Mali’s move away from multiparty democracy is part of a troubling regional pattern. Alongside Burkina Fasoand Niger, Mali has now aligned itself within the Alliance of Sahel States, distancing from ECOWAS and embracing a model of military-led governance. All three countries have withdrawn from the regional blocand spoken of redefining sovereignty in ways that sideline democratic norms.

The Sahel, once viewed as a region gradually moving toward participatory governance, now faces a coordinated rollback of democratic institutions. This shift also limits regional accountability mechanisms and threatens to normalise military rule under the pretext of security or national unity.

Why This Moment Matters

Mali’s return to single-party control, or more precisely, to no-party rule, is a serious setback, not only for Malians but for those across the continent who still believe in the promise of accountable governance. At a time when the country faces ongoing insurgencies, humanitarian challenges, and deep political fragmentation, silencing legitimate dissent is both counterproductive and dangerous.

Democracy is not strengthened by removing choice. Nor is national unity built through political exclusion. The junta’s actions may offer temporary control, but at the cost of long-term legitimacy and peace. This is not just an internal matter. It is a continental test.

The path forward requires more than external condemnation. While the African Union, the United Nations, and Mali’s development partners must continue to advocate for human rights and political accountability, the most important voices remain those inside Mali, civil society organisations, journalists, human rights defenders, and the citizens who continue to demand a say in their country’s future. This moment calls for vigilance, dialogue, and support,  not only for political parties but for the idea that governance must be shared, contested, and accountable. Democracy is not built in decrees or dismantled in silence. It is defended in difficult times by those willing to speak when speaking is hardest.

Bright Yom Dzeshie

ISHR Intern