Mali lifts state of emergency ahead of election campaigning

Mali on Saturday lifted a state of emergency to allow campaigning to begin for the first round of presidential elections scheduled for July 28. The state of emergency ended at midnight. It had been in place since January, when France launched a military intervention against Islamist militants and Tuareg rebels in the north of the country. Demonstrations, rallies and concerts had been banned under the decree. Some electoral rallies are expected later Saturday, although official campaigning begins on Sunday, dpa reported. The European Union has launched its observation mission for the upcoming election, and deployed 20 observers. “It is crucial that the presidential election goes well, not only to provide legitimacy to the (new) president but also for the stability of the region,” said European MP Louis Michel, the mission chief. “Europe is in the front line of the collateral risks implied by instability in this region,” he added. The EU observers will work alongside 150 observers from the African Union. Twenty-eight candidates are running for president, including four former prime ministers and one woman.