Under Mali's 1992 Constitution, the president is chief of state and commander in chief of the armed forces. The president is elected to 5-year terms, with a limit of two terms. The president appoints the prime minister as head of government. The president chairs the Council of Ministers (the prime minister and currently 20 other ministers and 7 ministers delegates, including 4 women), which adopts proposals for laws submitted to the National Assembly for approval.

The National Assembly is the sole legislative arm of the government. It currently consists of 147 members. Representation is apportioned according to the population of administrative districts. Election is direct and by party list. The term of office is 5 years. The Assembly meets for two regular sessions each year. It debates and votes on legislation proposed either by one of its members or by the government and has the right to question government ministers about government actions and policies. Sixteen political parties, aggregated into five parliamentary groups, are described in the Assembly. The former ruling ADEMA Party lost the majority at the National Assembly in favor of its rival Rassemblement Pour le Mali (RPM) of former Prime Minister Ibrahim B. Keita and its Espoir 2002 coalition. President Toure has the support of all political parties described at the National Assembly.

Mali's Constitution provides for a multi-party democracy, with the only restriction being a prohibition against parties based on ethnic, religious, regional, or gender lines. In addition to those political parties described in the National Assembly, others are active in municipal councils.

Administratively, Mali is separated into eight regions and the capital district of Bamako, each under the authority of an appointed high commissioner. Each region consists of five to nine districts (or Cercles), administered by prefets (commandants). Cercles are separated into communes, which, in turn, are separated into villages or quarters. The decentralization process has started with the establishment of 702 elected municipal councils, headed by elected mayors. Election of local officials took place; greater local control over finances and the reduction of administrative control by the central government are being implemented.

Mali's legal system is based on codes inherited at freedom from France. New laws have been enacted to make the system conform to Malian life, but French colonial laws not abrogated still have the force of law. The Constitution provides for the freedom of the judiciary. the Ministry of Justice appoints judges and supervises both law enforcement and judicial functions. The Supreme Court has both judicial and administrative powers. Under the Constitution, there is a separate constitutional court and a high court of justice with the power to try senior government officials in cases of treason.