France, May 14 -- Mali's military government has shut down all political parties and banned their activities across the country. Anyone who disobeys the order faces sanctions.

The announcement was made on state television on Tuesday. It followed an emergency government meeting where officials also scrapped the national charter on political parties.

"We are in a process of reforms," said Mamani Nassire, the minister in charge of political reform and the electoral process. He said new laws would be drafted to manage political life in Mali.

The government wants to reduce the number of parties, make it harder to create new ones and possibly stop public funding.

Officials who were appointed to jobs through political parties can stay in the...