More than 80 parties, civic groups in Mali demand presidential elections

By Aurore Bonny

DOUALA, Cameroon (AA) - More than 80 political parties and civic groups issued separate statements late Sunday calling on the military junta to hold presidential elections as soon as possible, ending transitional military rule.

“Currently, the country is going through enormous difficulties, and the transition is not intended to resolve all of the country's problems. It is time to end this impasse, especially since the last postponement of the transition expired on March 26,” said the Network of Human Rights Defenders in Mali (RDDHM), which brings together around 50 local organizations.

The leaders of the transitional government headed by Col. Assimi Goita decreed in June 2022 that the military would restore civilian rule at the end of a transition period on March 26, 2024. The authorities had planned a presidential election in February, but it was ultimately postponed for “technical reasons” to an unknown date.

A second group made up of local associations and political parties said it is considering legal recourse.

“We find ourselves in a rather unclear situation. So if nothing is done, we said that in the second step, we will appeal to all legal and legitimate voices to make ourselves heard so that we can have a return to constitutional order,” said Yaya Sangare, a former minister and secretary general of the ADEMA PASJ party.

The Magistrates' Union Reference (Refsyma) and the Malian Association of Prosecutors and Prosecutors (AMPP), two professional and activist organizations, filed a similar request on Thursday to the Constitutional Court of Mali.

They asked the court to recognize that “the current authorities are without mandate or power to represent Mali” and to “open a new transition” involving all the components of the nation including the Republican army, with its main mission being the organization of elections for the return to constitutional order.

The ruling junta has not yet reacted to the statements.