Somalia sets May date for first direct presidential election in decades
Editor:
Tuğçe Nur Kaya
Somalia has not held a direct one-person, one-vote election since 1969, the year Siad Barre led a coup and went on to rule for twenty years.
Somalia announced on Thursday that parliamentary and presidential elections would be held next year.
The Election Commission said in a statement that parliamentary polls would be held on April 15, followed by a presidential vote scheduled for May 15.
In a statement, the electoral commission said the provisional voter list will be published on January 21, while campaigning for both houses of parliament will begin on February 27. The final voter list will be published on 15 March.
Somalia has not held a direct one-person, one-vote election since 1969.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been attempting to move Somalia towards democratic elections.
His second term ended earlier this year but his government declared a "transition period" in May.
Former president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo said on X the election decision was a "dangerous threat to Somalia's statehood and future" and urged an agreement with all factions.
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