The rocky road to Mali’s referendum
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The referendum in Mali on a new constitution is facing significant opposition from a number of political and civic associations. Mali’s military government made a decision to hold the referendum on the new constitution of that country on the 18th of June 2023. The referendum is seen as a key milestone on the path to democratic elections.
The plebiscite is critical for Mali economically which has suffered under Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sanctions. These sanctions were imposed in January 2022, and were only lifted once the military regime committed to a handover by March 2024.
The referendum, announced on Friday, is a milestone on the country’s path towards elections promised for February after a coup three years earlier. The referendum was originally mooted for March 19 but subsequently postponed.
The coalition is demanding that the decree to convene electoral bodies is illegitimate because it considers the ruling authorities to be illegitimate. The group also cites the chaos in vast swathes of the country as rendering any democratic process almost impossible for a free and fair outcome.
Mali has experienced widespread unrest for over 11 years as a result of a revolt in the north of the country that developed into an all-consuming rebellion. Another point of national tension is the presence of an ineffective French military presence that could not quell the rebellion. This has exacerbated an already strong tide of anti-French sentiment.
Other stumbling blocks
This is not the first time that constitutional amendments have been mooted in Mali. A 2017 referendum did not take place. In April 2021 an interim government that was established by the military announced that a referendum would take place six months hence, before that government was toppled in a coup. Army colonel Assimi Goita was named as the transitional president of Mali.
The security situation in that country is a stumbling block to democratic processes. Risks include attacks on polling stations and the logistical challenge of voter registration. There is also opposition to the referendum by northern rebel groups, and religious leaders who object. A part of the draft constitution states that Mali is an “independent, sovereign, unitary, indivisible, democratic, secular and social republic”. Imams in the country have contested the principle of secularism and have called on Muslims to oppose it.
The referendum campaign will run from June 2-16. Voters will have to respond with a “yes” or a “no” to the question: Do you approve of the draft constitution?
