What changed

B100294/2025

European Parliament resolution on the dissolution of political parties and the crackdown on the opposition in Mali

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on dissolution of political parties and the crackdown on the opposition in Mali

(2025/2754(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to RuleRules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure”,Procedure,

A. whereas the military has ruled the countryMali since the 2020 coup that broughtinstalled theGeneral Assimi Goïta as transitional president, Generaland Assimithe Goïta,repeatedly topromised power;elections have not taken place;

whereas civilian leadership was removed and promised elections were suspended without providing an alternative timeline;

B. whereas on 13 May 2025, the military authorities dissolved political parties and organisations and repealed laws protecting political participation, sparking domestic protests and international concern over the consolidation of authoritarian rule and repression and criminalisation of the opposition and protesters;

whereas a promise to hand over power by the military in March 2024 was not kept, and the regime suggested proclaiming the general president of the Republic for a five-year, renewable term, without going to the polls;

C. whereas recent abductions and arrests of opposition members have added to the enforced disappearances dating back to at least 2021, and the military junta has intensified its repression of the political opposition and civil liberties;

whereas in early May 2025, opposition groups and protestors tried to take to the streets to oppose the slide towards an authoritarian regime;

D. whereas on 11 June 2025, the Malian Council of Ministers adopted a bill authorising a five-year renewable mandate for the transitional president without election;

whereas on 13 May 2025, Mali military authorities dissolved political parties and repealed laws protecting political participation;

E. whereas the EU continues to support civil society and provide humanitarian aid in Mali;

whereas the pattern of enforced disappearances dating back to at least 2021 has expanded with recent abductions and arrests of opposition members;

F. whereas al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamist terrorist groups have been killing civilians, including Christians and people from other religious minorities;

whereas the military junta has intensified its repression of the political opposition and civil liberties;

G. whereas the EU and several Member States have deployed troops who have lost their lives fighting jihadism at the request of the former Malian authorities;

whereas on 11 June 2025, Council of Ministers adopted a bill granting a five-year renewable mandate to the transitional president, General Assimi Goïta, without an election.

H. whereas Mali is negatively affected by Russian disinformation;

1. Expresses deep concern atabout the alarming political and security situation in Mali, includingMali; significantstrongly increasecondemns inthe documenteddissolution humanof rightspolitical violationsparties and abuses since 2024, which are now compounded byorganisations additionaland recentthe restrictionscrackdown on politicalthe rights;opposition;

Deplores2. recentCriticises the Malian authorities’ intensified actions undermining democracy, human rights, freedom of expression and association, and peaceful assembly;

3. Urges the Malian authorities to respect international law and signed commitments, thushuman enablingrights theirlaw citizensand toMali’s fullysigned enjoycommitments theiron political and civil rights guaranteed in international human rights law;rights;

4. Recalls the transitional president’s instruction to thehis Cabinetcabinet in November 2024 to create conditions for transparent and peaceful elections;elections as soon as possible;

Urges the transitional authorities to fully restore political rights in the country by revoking the Council of Ministers’ decision of 11 June 2025 and setting an election schedule without delay;

5. Urges the authorities to immediately release those arrested or abducted for political reasons, permanently end repression and intimidation, guarantee the safety of opposition members, activists and civil society actors, and ensure peace and stability in Mali;

Calls on the transitional president, General Assimi Goïta, to reverse the decree dissolving all political parties and restore laws protecting political participation;

6. Notes with regret that Mali is still plagued by violence and Islamist terrorism; recalls that Russian-sponsored mercenaries have failed to bring stability; calls for ensuring accountability for rights violations and abuses, including war crimes committed by the Wagner Group/Africa Corps against the Malian people;

Urges the authorities to immediately release those arrested or abducted for political reasons, and to end repression of opposition members and activists;

7. Encourages closer cooperation between the EU, the EUSR for the Sahel, ECOWAS and the African Union in promoting stability and human rights in Mali;

Calls for ensuring accountability for rights’ violations and abuses;

8. Underlines the EU’s clear support for restoring multi-party democracy, providing assistance to civil society and democratic actors and ensuring that human rights are the main priority for EU support under the renewed approach to the Sahel region;

Calls on the Commission and the EU Delegation to Mali to engage deeply in helping to restore democracy, including by strengthening the oversight capacity of the National Assembly, supporting civil society and local democratic actors, and ensuring that human rights are at the forefront of our support under the renewed approach to the Sahel region;

9. Calls on the VP/HR and the Member States to raise with the Malian authorities the urgent need to restore democratic order and protect human rights;

Calls on the HR/VP and the Member States to raise the urgent need to restore democratic order and protect human rights in their engagement with the Malian authorities;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, Mali’s transitional president, the Malian National Assembly, the African Union and ECOWAS.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, Mali’s transitional president, and National Assembly.