Mali Junta Shocks Nation, Abolishes All Political Parties

Mali’s Military Junta Dissolves All Political Parties Amid Opposition Crackdown and Reports of Abductions

Mali’s military-led government has abolished all political parties in a dramatic increase in authoritarian control, solidifying its hold on power in the face of growing domestic and international alarm. In a nationally broadcast speech on Tuesday, Interim President Assimi Goita—who came to power in two coups in 2020 and 2021—announced the contentious decision and signed it into law.

The decision follows a wave of anti-government protests earlier this month, where citizens took to the streets on May 3 and 4, demanding a swift return to democratic governance. Demonstrators held placards reading “Down with dictatorship, long live democracy,” openly defying a regime that had once pledged to hold elections by 2022.

On the other hand, a national summit in April suggested extending Goita’s reign until 2030, a move that has drawn strong criticism from both human rights organizations and opposition politicians. In response, the government issued a broad edict that halted all political activity across the country, so putting an end to planned demonstrations and slowing the momentum of the opposition. Concerns over enforced disappearances have been raised by reports of multiple opposition figures going missing during the political crackdown. The Convergence for the Development of Mali (CODEM) secretary-general, Abba Alhassane, was kidnapped by masked individuals, according to a report released by Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday. El Bachir Thiam, the head of the Yelema party, was also allegedly abducted by unknown assailants in the Kati town, which is close to Bamako, the capital, on the same day.

A CODEM insider told Reuters that the party had lost communication with young leader Abdoul Karim Traore, raising further concerns that he may have also been forcibly disappeared. Malian officials have said nothing about these purported arrests and disappearances, despite mounting international outrage. When Goita first came to power, the civilian administration was overthrown for failing to manage the security situation due to the increasing violence from extremist organizations associated with ISIL and al-Qaeda. However, his authority has come under heavy fire for its ruthless repression of dissent and growing ties to Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group.

HRW highlighted a larger pattern of human rights violations under the junta in December 2024 when it accused Malian military and Wagner agents of burning homes and killing at least 32 civilians during operations in central and northern Mali. As worries about Mali’s swift decline into authoritarianism increase, international organizations are increasingly keeping a careful eye on the situation there.

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