Somalia announced on Thursday that its parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled for 2027, despite an increasingly fractured political landscape and concerns over escalating instability.
The Election Commission confirmed that the parliamentary polls would be held on April 15, 2027, followed by the presidential vote on May 15, 2027.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term ended earlier this year, but his government declared a “transition period” in May, notwithstanding an agreement with the opposition regarding the elections.
The new schedule adheres to a rule stipulating a five-year presidential term beginning on the date the president takes office.
Despite attempts to move towards democratic elections and away from a clan-elder-based system, Mohamud’s efforts have met resistance from regional leaders, who perceive it as a power grab.
The situation is further complicated by the presence of the Islamist group Al-Shabaab, which controls large parts of the country, limiting election organization to localized regions.
Mohamud, who came to power in 2022, asserted that an amended constitution, enacted by parliament this year, allowed him an additional year in office and set the electoral framework. Opposition parties, however, boycotted the vote and have rejected these constitutional amendments.