The June 18 referendum could pave the way for presidential elections in February 2024 in Mali.
Malians will vote on Sunday to approve or reject constitutional amendments that would strengthen presidential powers ahead of a promised transition from military rule back to democracy in the West African nation.
The referendum is the first in a series of planned polls aimed at paving the way for presidential elections in February 2024, which Mali’s military leaders pledged to hold under pressure from regional powers.
The military government postponed the referendum for three months due to logistical problems. Sunday’s vote is seen as an indicator of its commitment and capacity to organize elections in a country where armed groups have taken over parts of the arid north and center.
Frustrations over rising insecurity led to two military takeovers in 2020 and 2021, but the government has failed to put down the insurgency or improve livelihoods in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Last July, the Economic Community of West African States lifted a series of trade and financial sanctions against Mali after the military government committed to a handover in March 2024.
The sanctions were imposed in January 2022 when the military government was considering staying in power for up to five years.
No clear consensus has been reached for Sunday’s vote.
Political parties are divided and the government is struggling to build momentum for its “Yes” campaign.
A rally at a 50,000-seat stadium in the southern capital Bamako last week was sparsely attended, prompting authorities to offer citizens free petrol and cash if they attend a similar event scheduled for Friday.
Opponents of the amendments are concerned that the new constitution will put more power in the hands of the president ahead of the election amid uncertainty over whether interim leader Assimi Goita will participate. They have also questioned the legality of amendments introduced by an undemocratically elected government.
“Too much power in the hands of the future president will crush all other institutions,” said Sidi Toure, a spokesman for the opposition PARENA party, noting that the new constitution excludes citizens with dual citizenship from the presidency.
“Mali and Malians are deeply divided,” said Toure, whose party has joined in a “no” vote.
An armed group that signed a major peace deal in 2015 — which has been shaky since the military took power — pulled out of the rewrite process and boycotted the vote, describing the text as “not sufficiently inclusive”.
Religious leaders in the Muslim-majority country have also spoken out against the decision not to remove secularism as a defining feature of the state, saying it is a legacy of Mali’s former colonial ruler, France.
But proponents have spoken out in favor of aspects of the proposed changes, including the creation of a separate audit office, the legitimization of traditional leadership and a clause to include national languages as official alongside French.
Voter turnout
Ibrahima Sangho, the head of a local election observation group, said voter turnout would be a gauge of public support for the interim authorities and their policies.
“A low participation rate indicates that they lack legitimacy,” he said.
In Bamako, where recurring electricity and water cuts have worsened in recent months, carpenter Sory Diakite lamented: “There are grievances that are not being addressed.”
“These issues will not affect my choice,” he added. “I will vote for.”
In the central cities of Gao and Mopti, where violence is rife, blackouts and insecurity have led to calls from some quarters to reject the referendum.
“I’m not voting for this,” said Fatouma Harber, a blogger from the city of Timbuktu.
“My frustration is that military officials … organize a referendum and change the constitution.”