2023-06-18 21:23:00
18.06.2023 23:23
(Akt. 18.06.2023 23:23)
Referendum to pave the way to democracy
©APA/AFP
In Mali, vote counting began on Sunday in a referendum on constitutional reform that the military government believes should pave the way for elections. However, some opposition parties and pro-democracy activists say the military has no right to draft and vote on such a comprehensive draft constitution. Among other things, they criticize that the draft gives the president too much power.
Proponents of constitutional reform argue that state institutions should be strengthened. Preliminary results are expected on Tuesday. Armed groups in the north of the country had called for a boycott of the referendum. Former MP Ahmoudane Ag Ikmasse, from Kidal in the north, told Archyde.com there had been no referendum there. CMA rebel spokesman Ould Mohamed Ramadane said voting had only taken place in a few places with a large presence of Malian forces, such as Timbuktu, Gao and Menaka.
Despite major differences with the generals, the West African Economic Community and the United Nations see the referendum as an important test of their willingness to initiate a democratization process. On Friday, however, the Malian government asked the United Nations to end the Minusma peacekeeping operation in the African country and to withdraw the UN troops.
Large areas in northern Mali are controlled by groups linked to al-Qaeda and “Islamic State”. Initially, the West had helped the Malian government push back the extremists. The army is also still involved in the UN mission and the EU training mission EUTM in Mali. However, most of the soldiers were withdrawn in the previous year. The military government is now relying on the help of the Russian mercenary group Wagner.
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