View source for Politics of Mali

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Politics of Mali}}

Until the military coup of March 22, 2012<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9161930/UN-Security-council-condemns-Mali-coup.html|title=UN Security council condemns Mali coup|date=23 March 2012|via=www.telegraph.co.uk|access-date=3 April 2018|archive-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128100600/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9161930/UN-Security-council-condemns-Mali-coup.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9161659/US-condemns-Mali-coup-amid-reports-of-looting.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323134828/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/mali/9161659/US-condemns-Mali-coup-amid-reports-of-looting.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 March 2012|title=US condemns Mali coup amid reports of looting|date=22 March 2012|website=telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> and a second military coup in December 2012<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/world/africa/malis-prime-minister-arrested-by-military.html|title=Cheick Modibo Diarra, Mali's Prime Minister, Resigns After Arrest|first=Adam|last=Nossiter|work=The New York Times|date=11 December 2012|via=NYTimes.com|access-date=28 February 2017|archive-date=22 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722072426/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/12/world/africa/malis-prime-minister-arrested-by-military.html|url-status=live}}</ref> the '''politics of Mali''' took place in a framework of a [[semi-presidential system|semi-presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of Mali]] is [[head of state]] with a Presidentially appointed Prime Minister as the [[head of government]], and of a [[multi-party system]].

[[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[Forms of government|government]] and the [[National Assembly of Mali|National Assembly]]. 
The [[Judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislature.

In August 2018, President [[Ibrahim Boubacar Keita]] was re-elected for a new five-year term after winning the second round of the [[2018 Malian presidential election|election]] against [[Soumaïla Cissé]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Incumbent President Keita wins re-election in Mali |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20180816-mali-incumbent-president-ibraham-boubacar-keita-wins-election |work=France 24 |date=16 August 2018 |language=en |access-date=15 October 2022 |archive-date=16 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240116002945/https://www.france24.com/en/20180816-mali-incumbent-president-ibraham-boubacar-keita-wins-election |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Democracy Index rating|Mali|authoritarian regime|2022}}

On 18 August 2020 [[2020 Malian coup d'état|a coup d'état]] ousted the president and prime minister. On 25 September 2020, retired colonel and former defence minister [[Bah Ndaw]] was sworn in as Mali's interim president.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bah Ndaw sworn in as Mali's transitional president following coup|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/25/bah-ndaw-sworn-in-as-malis-transitional-president-following-coup|access-date=2020-09-25|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en|archive-date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925222753/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/25/bah-ndaw-sworn-in-as-malis-transitional-president-following-coup|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 15 April 2021, the transitional administration announced that legislative and presidential elections will be held on 27 February 2022.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-04-15|title=Mali to hold elections next February following post-coup transition|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mali-politics-idUSKBN2C21ZU|access-date=2021-04-15|archive-date=18 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418000352/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mali-politics-idUSKBN2C21ZU|url-status=live}}</ref> On 7 June 2021, Mali's military commander [[Assimi Goïta|Assimi Goita]] was sworn into office as the new interim president.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mali's military leader Goita sworn in as transitional president |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/7/assimi-goita-mali-military-leader-sworn-in-as-interim-president |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en |access-date=15 October 2022 |archive-date=25 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230525194705/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/7/assimi-goita-mali-military-leader-sworn-in-as-interim-president |url-status=live }}</ref> On 30 December 2021, the transitional administration announced plans to delay the election by six months to five years in part because of security issues,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mali Conference Recommends Election Delay of Up to 5 Years|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/mali-conference-recommends-election-delay-of-up-to-5-years-/6376142.html|access-date=9 January 2022|website=VOA|date=30 December 2021 |language=en|archive-date=27 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127173723/https://www.voanews.com/a/mali-conference-recommends-election-delay-of-up-to-5-years-/6376142.html|url-status=live}}</ref> leading to political opposition and sanctions.

On 14 May 2025, the [[National Committee for the Salvation of the People]], the ruling [[military junta]] over Mali, ordered the dissolution of all political parties and organizations.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Njie |first1=Paul |title=Mali junta dissolves all political parties in latest opposition crackdown |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqj7z92xw9no |access-date=14 May 2025 |work=www.bbc.com |date=14 May 2025}}</ref>

==Executive branch==
{{office-table}}
|Interim President
|[[Assimi Goïta]]
|[[Malian Armed Forces|Military]]
|25 May 2021
|-
|[[List of Prime Ministers of Mali|Prime Minister]]
|[[Abdoulaye Maïga (officer)|Abdoulaye Maïga]]
|[[Malian Armed Forces|Military]]
|21 November 2024
|}

The [[executive branch]] consists of the [[President of Mali]] and the [[Government of Mali]], led by the [[Prime Minister of Mali]].

Under Mali's [[Constitution of Mali|1992 constitution]], the president is chief of state and [[commander in chief]] of the [[Armed Forces of Mali|armed forces]]. The president is elected to 5-year terms by direct popular vote. He is limited to two terms.

The [[List of Prime Ministers of Mali|Prime Minister of Mali]] is the head of government. They are appointed by the president<ref>{{citation |url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/mali/freedom-world/2022 |title=Mali |access-date=13 August 2023 |archive-date=16 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240116003113/https://freedomhouse.org/country/mali/freedom-world/2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> and are responsible for the appointment of the other ministers of government.<ref>{{citation |url=https://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=332364816&Country=Mali&topic=Summary&subtopic=Political+structure |title=Mali |access-date=13 August 2023 |archive-date=14 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814023613/https://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=332364816&Country=Mali&topic=Summary&subtopic=Political+structure |url-status=live }}</ref>

The president chairs the [[Mali Council of Ministers|Council of Ministers]] (the prime minister and currently{{when|date=August 2023}} 27 other ministers), which adopts a proposals for laws submitted to the National Assembly for approval of them.

==Legislative branch==
The [[National Assembly of Mali|National Assembly]] is the sole [[legislative branch|legislative]] arm of the Malian government. It has 160 members, who are elected directly for a five-year term by [[party list]]. 147 members are elected in single-seat [[constituency|constituencies]] and 13 members elected by Malians abroad. Representation is apportioned according to the population of administrative districts.

The Assembly meets for two regular sessions each year. It debates and votes on legislation proposed either by one of its members or by the government; it also has the right to question government ministers about government actions and policies. Eight political parties, aggregated into four parliamentary groups, are represented in the Assembly. [[Alliance for Democracy in Mali|ADEMA]] currently{{when|date=August 2023}} holds the majority; minority parties are represented in all committees and in the Assembly directorate.

==Political parties and elections==
{{main|List of political parties in Mali|Elections in Mali}}
Mali's constitution provides for a multi-party democracy, with the only restriction being a prohibition against parties based on ethnic, religious, regional, or gender lines. In addition to those political parties represented in the National Assembly, others are active in municipal councils.

===Presidential elections===
{{main|2018 Malian presidential election}}
{{#section-h:2018 Malian presidential election|Results}}

===Parliamentary elections===
{{main|2013 Malian parliamentary election}}
{{#section-h:2013 Malian parliamentary election|Results}}

==Judicial branch==
Mali's legal system is based on codes inherited at independence from France. New laws have been enacted to make the system conform to Malian life, but French colonial laws not abrogated still have the force of law. The constitution provides for the independence of the judiciary.

The Ministry of Justice appoints judges and supervises both law enforcement and judicial functions. The Supreme Court has both judicial and administrative powers. Under the constitution, there is a separate constitutional court and a high court of justice with the power to try senior government officials in cases of treason.

==Administrative divisions==
{{Main|Regions of Mali}}
Administratively, Mali is divided into ten regions ([[Gao Region|Gao]], [[Ménaka Region|Ménaka]], [[Kayes Region|Kayes]], [[Kidal Region|Kidal]],  [[Koulikoro Region|Koulikoro]], [[Mopti Region|Mopti]], [[Ségou Region|Ségou]], [[Sikasso Region|Sikasso]], [[Tombouctou Region|Tombouctou]], [[Taoudénit Region|Taoudénit]]) and the capital district of Bamako, each under the authority of an elected governor. Each region consists of five to nine districts (or [[Cercles of Mali|Cercles]]), administered by Prefects. Cercles are divided into [[Communes of Mali|communes]], which, in turn, are divided into villages or quarters.

A decentralisation and democratisation process began in the 1990s with the establishment of 702 elected municipal councils, headed by elected mayors, and previously appointed officials have been replaced with elected officials, which culminates in a National council of local officials. Other changes included greater local control over finances, and the reduction of administrative control by the central government.

==Foreign relations==
{{Further|Foreign relations of Mali}}

Mali is member of 
[[Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique|ACCT]], 
[[African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States|ACP]], 
[[African Development Bank|AfDB]], 
[[Customs Cooperation Council|CCC]], 
[[United Nations Economic Commission for Africa|ECA]], 
[[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS]], 
[[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], 
[[Franc Zone|FZ]], 
[[Group of 77|G-77]], 
[[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]], 
[[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], 
[[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], 
[[International Criminal Court|ICCt]], 
[[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]], 
[[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], 
[[International Development Association|IDA]], 
[[Islamic Development Bank|IDB]], 
[[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], 
[[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], 
[[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]], 
[[International Labour Organization|ILO]], 
[[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], 
[[International Telecommunications Satellite Organization|Intelsat]], 
[[Interpol]], 
[[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], 
[[International Organization for Migration|IOM]], 
[[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], 
[[United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti|MIPONUH]], 
[[United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo|MONUC]], 
[[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]], 
[[Organisation of African Unity|OAU]], 
[[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation|OIC]], 
[[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]], 
[[United Nations|UN]], 
[[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], 
[[UNESCO]], 
[[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], 
[[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], 
[[West African Development Bank|WADB]]&nbsp;(regional), 
[[West African Economic and Monetary Union|WAEMU]], 
[[World Confederation of Labour|WCL]], 
[[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]], 
[[World Health Organization|WHO]], 
[[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], 
[[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], 
[[World Tourism Organization|WToO]], 
[[World Trade Organization|WTrO]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.primature.gov.ml/ Official portal of the Government of Mali] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602092831/http://www.primature.gov.ml/ |date=2 June 2008 }}
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20081216104011/http://www.koulouba.pr.ml/ Official portal of the President of Mali]
* {{in lang|fr}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20071215200911/http://www.koulouba.pr.ml/spip.php?article111 Government Decree 4-141, May 2004 - Official list of the Ministers and Ministries of the Government of Mali, at the official portal of the President of Mali]

{{Mali topics}}
{{Africa in topic|Politics of}}

[[Category:Politics of Mali| ]]
[[Category:Government of Mali]]