The first round of parliamentary elections in Mali will hold on the 29th of March 2020, to elect 147 members of the National Assembly. The Legislative elections were initially scheduled for 28 October 2018 but after several postponements and a court extension that gave extra months to deputies to finish their mandates, the elections will finally hold in March 2020.

Issues

The elections were first postponed due to an ongoing magistrate strike which prevented the registration of candidates. In the subsequent postponements, Mali’s electoral body needed “additional time to better organise the elections, implement institutional reforms and appease ongoing political tensions.”

With an average voter turnout of 36.76%, these postponements could cause voter apathy but there is more to worry about. African Watch has predicted there can be unrest or recurring violence in some areas due to the polls. While an unending conflict with Taureg separatists has persisted, the insurgency in Mali’s north and central regions continues as well.A

How Mali Elections Work

The members of parliament are elected from 125 constituencies using the two-round method where one voter picks their candidate of choice. In the event that no candidate or party-list wins an absolute majority in the first round, the top two finishers in the first round compete in the second round. In constituencies where there is more than one seat, known as multi-member districts, the block voting method is used to select candidates. The two highest party lists from the first round compete in the second, with the winning list gaining every seat in the district. 

Until the coup in 2012, Mali had a fair and budding democracy. While media is free and open, the presence of armed militant groups does not give any guarantee for safety.