The Mali junta in power declared on Monday that the February 2023 presidential elections will be postponed.
The dates for the two rounds of voting, February 4 and 18, 2024, had been initially set, but according to a statement from the government’s spokesperson Abdoulaye Maga, they would be “slightly postponed for technical reasons.”
The authorities listed the updating of the electoral records earlier this year and considerations related to the ratification of a new constitution among these technical justifications. Additionally, they mentioned a conflict with a French corporation called Idemia, which they claim is participating in the census process.
The new election dates will be revealed at a later time, according to the government.
A new constitution for Mali was put to a vote in June 2023. It boosts the president’s authority and elevates the nation’s armed forces. The “yes” vote prevailed despite opposition to the draught constitution, with 96.91 percent of votes counted supporting the proposals.