Although it infects indiscriminately, COVID-19’s fallout will inevitably impact people differently around the globe. Beyond immediate health risks, the pandemic’s ripple effect will compound and deepen the socio-economic challenges already faced by marginalized communities, especially in places where public officials have traditionally demonstrated an unwillingness or inability to consider their needs.    

While public attention regarding COVID-19 has been focused on the health crisis and its economic repercussions, autocrats are moving quickly to Machiavelli’s maxim -- “never waste an opportunity offered by a good crisis.” Around the world, anti-democratic leaders are using the pandemic as a means of tipping (or skipping) elections, settling scores with political adversaries and channeling public funds to personal accounts.  Authoritarian opportunists use ‘

On March 29, Mali held legislative elections as the country was coming to grips with the coronavirus pandemic. The official campaign period, which began March 8, was in full swing before the World Health Organization’s pandemic declaration forced the country to adopt restrictions on travel and large gatherings on March 11.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unique challenges for legislators across the world, forcing emergency provisions in parliamentary procedure, innovative techniques for connecting with the citizenry, and legislative actions on urgent relief packages for communities in need.