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Mali Page |
Welcome to ElectionInfo.com's pages on Mali
Official Name: Republic of Mali
Capital: Bamako
Area: 1,240,190 square kilometres (478,840 square miles)
Major cities (Population)
Bamako 880,000 (1993 estimate)
Ségou 85,000 (1993 estimate)
Population: 10,795,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate: 3.2 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Type of government: Republic
Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France)
Constitution: Adopted 12 January 1992
Voting Rights: Universal at age 21
Government
Mali is divided into eight administrative regions, plus the capital district of Bamako. Mali is now a multi-party democracy. The president, who serves a five-year term and cannot run for re-election, is head of state. The prime minister is head of government. The 129 members of the National Assembly are directly elected for five years. The voting age is 21.
Recent History
The French conquered the area of present-day Mali in the late 19th century and in 1904 made it part of the French colony of Haut-Senegal-Niger. In 1920 it was made the French Sudan, as a constituent territory of French West Africa. In 1958 the country was renamed the Sudanese Republic. In January 1959 it united with the Republic of Senegal to form the Federation of Mali. In 1960 the Federation became independent, but Senegal seceded. In September of that year the independent republic of Mali was declared, with Modibo Keita as president. In 1968 Keita assumed dictatorial powers, but ten months later there was a coup and a military regime, headed by Moussa Traoré, took over. Since 1979, in elections held every three years, Traoré’s Democratic Union of the People of Mali (UDPM) has won an almost unanimous share of the vote. But when popular demonstrations in 1991 were met with Traoré’s orders to shoot civilians, a group of army officers rebelled and staged a coup. The UDPM was disbanded and Traoré was sentenced to death, but remains in prison.
A new constitution was drafted and approved by popular referendum in 1992. In the same year elections were held for a National Assembly and Alpha Oumar Konaré was elected president. However, in 1993 student rioters damaged several government buildings in Bamako. President Konaré responded by meeting with student leaders and promising to change the educational system.
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