Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and four opposition leaders have signed an agreement on the modalities of the upcoming elections, following several weeks of negotiations.
The compromise reached over Somalia’s elections comes 10 months after the Somali Parliament adopted an electoral law introducing universal suffrage for 2026 — a reform that sparked strong opposition protests.
“The doors to state reconstruction are now open,” declared President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, as quoted by local media. For him, this marks progress for Somali democracy.
The agreement stipulates that the president of the Republic will continue to be elected by Parliament, as will the presidents of the federal states, while members of Parliament will be chosen through universal suffrage.
It also establishes that any party securing at least 10% of seats will be recognized as a political party.
Finally, the signatories commit to supporting the transition toward the principle of “one person, one vote,” planned for the 2026 elections.
For Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, this is a symbolic victory despite concessions — notably the abandonment of his initial plan for a presidential election by universal suffrage. However, the compromise has weakened the opposition, leading to the breakup of the Forum for National Salvation.
Its leader, former president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, considers the security context incompatible with such a reform.
