Mali’s strongman ruler on Friday signed into law election legislation adopted by parliament a week ago, paving the way for polls and a return of civilian rule, according to a presidential decree. The text, which leaves the door open to junta members seeking election, was adopted on June 17 by the National Transitional Council, the legislative body set up by Mali’s ruling military junta, led by Colonel Assimi Goita. It notably sets up a single election management body in place of a contested three-party system. The Malian government has said that once the electoral law is adopted, it could quickly present it to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc for approval. It would set out the steps that would lead to elections before the return of power to civilians. “The president of the transition, head of state, enacts the law” voted on June 17 by the NTC, said a presidential decree published Friday in the official gazette. The NTC had in its review revised the text against the wishes of the government. It adopted 92 amendments to the draft proposed by the government, out of 219 articles. Among them, the structure of the single body, called the Independent Electoral Management Authority, was significantly altered in favour of civilian representation. But the new electoral law opens the door for members of the military to run in a presidential election. Article 155 of the new text states that “any member of the army or security forces who wishes to be a candidate for the office of president of the republic must resign or ask to retire at least six months before the end of the current mandate of the president of the republic”. The provision does not explicitly refer to Goita, the transitional president. It does say however that “for elections during the transition” would-be military contenders must stand-down from post “at least four months” before polls marking the end of the transition. The adoption of the bill comes amid fraught negotiations between Mali and ECOWAS, whose mediator, former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, arrived in Bamako on Thursday before leaving on Friday. Jonathan began his mission nine days ahead of an ECOWAS summit in Accra due on July 3. ECOWAS is expected to decide whether to maintain or lift the tough trade and financial sanctions imposed on Mali on January 9 in the wake of a military takeover.