Mali's military junta has banned all political parties, silenced dissent, and delayed elections. As repression deepens, analysts warn that the country's democratic future hangs in the balance. https://p.dw.com/p/4uR0O Pro-democracy youth leader Cheick Oumar Diarra leads a group of supporters who are protesting against the shutdown of political parties Mali's military government has dissolved all political parties in the West African state, it announced on TuesdayImage: AFP ADVERTISEMENT Mali's military government shut down all political parties and political organizations on Tuesday — a move that followed an increasing number of pro-democracy activists being kidnapped from the streets of the capital, Bamako. It also came days after a pro-democracy rally was held, with protesters demanding multi-party elections. The decree dissolving political parties, signed by Mali's transitional president Assimi Goita, cited "reasons of public order" and covered all "associations of a political character," according to Malian state media. "It is forbidden for members of dissolved political parties and political organizations to hold any meetings," the decree stated. Historic setback for democracy "The events in Mali in the last few days are a dramatic setback for democracy," said Paul Melly, an analyst and consulting fellow at the London-based international affairs think tank, Chatham House. Mali is a country "that has gigantic significance" because of the protest and the democracy coup of the early 1990s, Melly told DW, adding that it "has a long, proud history of an elected government although interrupted sometimes by military coups." "But for the moment, clearly, normal democracy, elected politics and free expression of opinion have been shut down," the analyst said.