At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Mali

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Alpha Oumar KONARE
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Modibo KEITA
• Assembly: Mali has a unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) with 147 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale) 147 members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms.

Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:

• Toumani TOURE*
  • Party: Independent
• Soumaila CISSE*
  • Party: Alliance for Democracy
• Ibrahima KEITA
  • Party: Gathering for Mali (RPM)
• Other Candidates
  • Party: N/A

* Toumani TOURE and Soumaila CISSE advanced to the second round of the presidential race, held on May 12, 2002.

Last Presidential election:

• Presidential Elections were last held on May 11, 1997. Alpha Oumar KONARE received 95.9% of the vote.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 11,723,017 (2002)
• Registered Voters: 5,746,202 (2002)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 5,856,905 (2002)

·         Is Mali a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (5 February 1985)

·         Has Mali ratified CEDAW: Yes (10 September 1985)

·         Gender Quota: No, but there are voluntary quotas for some political parties

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 15 (following the 2002 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 179 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Mali a signatory to CRPD: Yes (15 May 2007)

·         Has Mali ratified CRPD: Yes (7 April 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 1,758,452 (est.)