On Thursday 22 October 2026, the National Transitional Council (CNT), the legislative body of the Transition in Mali, ratified an ordinance on nationality. The vote was passed unanimously by the 119 members present. The ordinance amends Law No. 2011-087 of 30 December 2011 on the Personal and Family Code in its provisions concerning the loss and forfeiture of nationality. The draft had been adopted by the Council of Ministers on 17 July 2026, on the proposal of the Minister for Justice and Human Rights, and the ordinance adopted on 13 August 2026.
The main change is the extension of the revocation of citizenship to Malians by birth. Until now, this mechanism had mainly targeted naturalised citizens. According to information made public, any Malian may now have their citizenship revoked if they act against the country’s interests. This includes, in particular, allegiance to a foreign state, collaboration with organisations classified as hostile, secessionist or terrorist, and participation in acts of terrorism. However, revocation cannot render the person stateless.
The full text is not yet available to the public. Several points therefore remain unclear: which authority is competent to order the disqualification, and whether or not a prior criminal conviction is required.
By exposing civil society actors to the risk of losing their nationality on the basis of vague criteria, this reform may exacerbate self-censorship in an already severely restricted civic sphere.