Somalia initiates government move toward direct elections

MOGADISHU, Somalia

Somalia’s Cabinet approved two bills Thursday to move the country from indirect elections to one-man, one-vote polls scheduled for 2026.

Political analyst Mohamud Abdikarim, who is based in Mogadishu, told Anadolu that the approval of two bills is a step toward achieving political stability in Somalia.

“To achieve a direct election and political stability and have a multiparty system is not easy and will take time but the job starts now and it is the responsibility of the current regime to fulfill their promises to ensure that the next election will be direct,” he said.

Abdikarim added that the government should sit with the opposition to avoid a repeat of what happened in the last presidential and parliamentary elections which saw political unrest and violent protests.

The bills will have to be approved by parliament and signed into law by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Mohamud promised last year to end the country's complex clan-based indirect voting system, which has been in place for more than 50 years.

Somalia last held direct elections in 1967.​​​​​​​