The West African country, plagued by jihadist and separatist violence, has been led by the military since back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021. Maiga, who was appointed by the military after the second coup, had been seen as isolated in his position as prime minister, with little room for manoeuvre. His dismissal creates further uncertainty in an already troubled context.

Maiga on Saturday publicly condemned the lack of clarity regarding the end of the transition to civilian rule. He said the confusion could pose “serious challenges and the risk of going backwards”.

Maiga, 66, previously served as a minister on several occasions and ran three times as a presidential candidate. He was the civilian face of the junta’s strategic pivot away from former colonial ruler France and toward closer political and military ties with Russia.

At the United Nations in September 2021, Maiga denounced what he called the “abandonment in mid-air” regarding the announced withdrawal of the French anti-jihadist force deployed in the country. He said the withdrawal forced Mali to explore new avenues with other partners, at a time when the presence of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner loomed.

After his criticism of the junta on Saturday, Maiga’s position became increasingly untenable. An influential group supporting the military rulers, the Collective for the Defence of the Military (CDM), had called for him to step down within 72 hours. Limited demonstrations took place on Tuesday in support of the military and calling for the prime minister’s resignation. Maiga’s comments gave rise to speculation as to whether he was positioning himself for a possible future presidential election.