(Bloomberg) -- Mali's interim government has fixed a date for general elections which will mark a return to civilian rule following a military coup last year.
The West African nation will hold a presidential and parliamentary vote on February 27, Minister for Territorial Administration Abdoulaye Maiga told journalists in the capital, Bamako, Thursday.
Second-round polls will be held on March 13 and March 20 respectively, where relevant, Maiga said. A referendum to review the constitution is also scheduled for Oct. 31 this year.
Mali is planning a return to civilian rule after an Aug. 18 coup overthrew former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The transitional council governing the country is currently made up of a mix of military and civilian members.
The Economic Community of West African States had called on the military junta to organize elections within 18 months after the putsch. The 15-member bloc took a hard line against Mali, temporarily shutting borders and halting financial flows last year to force a return to democratic rule. Partners such as the U.S. have also put pressure for elections to be held.
Read more: Spate of Islamist Attacks Puts Sahel on Track for Deadliest Year
Unrest in Mali has destabilized regional security in the past. The country has been a linchpin of international efforts, involving France and the European Union, to defeat insurgents in the semi-arid Sahel, which is headed for its deadliest year of Islamist-militant violence, with a record number of civilians killed in the first three months of 2021.
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