Mali: President's Rule Extended to 2030 Without Elections
Above: Mali's junta leader Assimi Goïta attends a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow on June 23, 2025. Image copyright: PAVEL BEDNYAKOV/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
Mali's military leadership represents a necessary response to decades of failed civilian governance that left the country vulnerable to jihadist attacks and foreign exploitation. The extension reflects the will of the people and ensures stability during ongoing security operations while the Alliance of Sahel States builds genuine sovereignty free from neo-colonial interference.
Narrative B
The military junta's consolidation of power marks a dangerous retreat from democracy towards autocracy, with political parties banned, opposition leaders disappearing, and civic freedoms systematically dismantled under the guise of security concerns. This authoritarian drift threatens Mali's democratic future while failing to address the worsening insurgency.