Mogadishu May 28, 2023 (SD) – Somalia’s National Consultative Council has endorsed an agreement on the country’s electoral and governmental system, which brings about significant and controversial changes.

The Council has decided that the entire country will hold elections through a one-person, one-vote system, with only two national political parties participating.

According to the agreement, the electoral system of the country will adopt a proportional representation system, known as the Closed List.

Each political party will have equal representation and no more than double the representation of the smallest party.

To ensure the inclusivity of the electoral process and the strengthening of our government institutions, the country will adopt a Presidential and Vice-Presidential system.

Districts in Banadir Region will have special representatives elected by the local population, ensuring comprehensive representation. These elections will take place on June 30, 2024.

The federal-level and member-state elections will occur every five years. To clarify the timeline for these elections, the following will be observed:

I. Regional State elections will take place on June 30, 2024.

II. Parliament elections will take place on November 30, 2024.

III. The election for the President and Vice President of DXDF will take place on November 30, 2024.

Former Prime Ministers and other politicians described the new agreement on the elections of Somalia and the Council’s agreement as impossible to implement, and some of them said that it will worsen the political situation in the country.

It is worth noting that Puntland, which days ago held one person one vote is not a signatory to the agreement.