What changed

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

B100291/2025

(2025/2754(RSP))

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

(2025/2751(RSP))

The European Parliament,

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

A. whereas the military has ruled Mali since the 2020 coup that installed General Assimi Goïta as transitional president, and the repeatedly promised elections have not taken place;

whereas Colonel Assimi Goïta seized power in military coups in August 2020 and May 2021, and repeatedly delayed the expected democratic transition until a junta-led “national dialogue” in April 2025 proposed extending it indefinitely and dissolving political parties, sparking national and international alarm over the consolidation of authoritarian rule;

B. whereas on 13 May 2025, the military authorities dissolved political parties and organisations and repealed laws protecting political participation, sparking domestic protests and international concern over the consolidation of authoritarian rule and repression and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 transitional authorities issued a decree on 13 May dissolving all political parties and organisations, repealing Mali’s party charter and opposition law, criminalising opposition activities and erasing the legal basis for political participation; whereas on 11 June 2025, the Council of Ministers granted General Goïta a renewable five-year term;

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 Malian civil society, opposition leaders , the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the African Union and ECOWAS denounced the move as unconstitutional and illegitimate, and hundreds of citizens protested in Bamako in early May in defence of democratic rights;

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 several opposition leaders have been arbitrarily arrested or forcibly disappeared ; whereas journalist harassment and media repression continue, with international broadcasters banned and local outlets shut down, further eroding civic space;

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

whereas since 2021 the junta relied on Wagner mercenaries to bolster its power; whereas numerous massacres and acts of torture have been perpetrated by both forces against civilians, especially from the peul and touareg communities; whereas Wagner announced on 5 June 2025 its departure and forthcoming replacement by AfricaCorps, amidst significant military advances by terrorist group JNIM;

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

whereas Mali is home to an acute humanitarian crisis, with over 378 000 internally displaced persons and 1.5 million people needing emergency food assistance;

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;

Strongly condemns the 13 May 2025 decree dissolving all political parties in Mali and the broader crackdown on political opposition, civil society, and media;

H. whereas Mali is negatively affected by Russian disinformation;

Calls on transitional authorities to immediately repeal the decree, restore the legal status of political parties and ensure full respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of association, expression, press and peaceful assembly;

1. Expresses deep concern about the alarming political and security situation in Mali; strongly condemns the dissolution of political parties and organisations and the crackdown on the opposition;

Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals detained for political reasons, and urges the junta to cease all acts of repression and intimidation and guarantee the safety of political leaders, civil society actors, and journalists;

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

Calls for a credible, inclusive, and time-bound roadmap for restoring the constitutional order and holding free and fair elections without further delay or manipulation;

3. Urges the Malian authorities to respect international human rights law and Mali’s signed commitments on political and civil rights;

Notes that the junta’s reliance on Russian military and political support has not permitted the Malian Armed Forces to regain control over the entire national territory and led to terrorist groups currently holding their strongest position since the beginning of the conflict;

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

Calls on the EU, its Member States, and international partners to recalibrate their engagement with Mali and the wider Sahel region, consider targeted restrictive measures if repression persists, and increase support for civil society and pro-democracy actors;

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;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Malian transitional authorities, the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, the African Union and ECOWAS.

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;

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;

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;

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;

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.