Mali: pending the promulgation of the electoral law
Malian Prime Minister Choguel Maïga (left) alongside transitional president Assimi Goïta, here in Kati, January 20, 2022. AFP - FLORENT VERGNES
Text by: David Baché
2 mins
While the National Transitional Council (CNT) adopted the new electoral law on Friday, June 17, the text must now be promulgated by the president of the transition, Colonel Assimi Goïta.
The text proposed by the government was deeply amended by the members of the CNT.
Will the Head of State agree to endorse all these changes?
This is what is at stake in the political battle that is currently being played out.
Advertising
Read more
According to the Constitution, Colonel Assimi Goïta has two weeks to promulgate the text, a period which can be reduced to eight days in the event of an emergency, according to a publication by Malian constitutionalist Brahima Fomba.
This new electoral law is crucial for Mali and for the transitional authorities, who intend to demonstrate, with this text, their desire to move towards a return to constitutional order and thus convince ECOWAS to raise, during the summit of 3 next July, the economic sanctions that have been hitting Mali since the beginning of January.
The M5-RFP strategic committee "
suggests to the president of the transition not to promulgate the law amended by the CNT
" and "
to send it back for a second reading
": the political movement of Prime Minister Choguel Maïga considers that
the 92 amendments made by the legislative body of the transition
"
deeply distort
" the initial text - proposed by the government - and participate in a "
vast global and multifaceted strategy of destabilization of the Transition
".
These amendments notably reduced the responsibility of the Prime Minister in appointing the members of the future Independent Authority for the Management of Elections, or even assigned the Ministry of Territorial Administration the technical preparation of the elections.
This was initially devolved to the new single electoral management body.
The adoption of a proportional voting system for legislative elections, replacing majority voting, has been abolished.
Changes contrary to the “
vision
” of the government, as already expressed on Friday, June 17, during the vote on this new law, the Minister Delegate in charge of Political and Institutional Reforms, Fatoumata Sékou Dicko.
But most of the political parties that have spoken since believe that
these changes
must be taken into account.
The Framework which brings together the opposition parties considers that the amendments constitute “
advances
”.
Adema, like the ARP platform, believes that they reflect "
the deep aspirations
" of the "
live forces of the nation
".
The Parena emphasizes "
the sense of responsibility
" and "
the quest for consensus
and national cohesion
" which has guided the work of the CNT.
Yelema urges the Head of State to enact the law with his amendments.
Finally, some parties explain that they are waiting for Colonel Assimi Goïta's decision before taking a public position;
others did not respond to RFI's requests.
Will the presidential balance tilt on the side of the CNT or the government?
The answer is imminent.
►
To read also:
Mali: "We need a timetable and a mechanism for monitoring the transition"
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
mali
Assimi Goita