Publication

This report describes trends in public opinion and perceptions in Mali based on analysis of national surveys conducted in 2001. The report shows that while Malians prefer democracy to other political regimes, their perception of democracy is culturally distinct. The authors argue that Malian satisfaction with democracy is often seen in terms of the personal performance of individual political leaders. They conclude that citizens in Mali judge the legitimacy of the state based on popular trust in public institutions and perceptions that public officials are not corrupt.