Somalia Sets Parliamentary and Presidential Elections for 2027

Somalia plans to hold parliamentary elections on April 15, 2027, followed by a presidential election on May 15, 2027, the country's election commission has announced. Al Jazeera

The dates were announced on state television by Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, chief of the Independent National Elections and Boundaries Commission, the body responsible for running votes. The parliamentary vote is planned for members of both houses of parliament, the lower and upper chambers.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud began his second term in 2022, and that term ended earlier in 2026. In May, the government declared a transition period through an amendment to the constitution, despite an agreement with the opposition to hold elections. Opposition parties boycotted that amendment vote and have rejected the changes.

The dispute extends to how Somalia should vote. Mohamud supports party-based elections to replace the current system built around established clan elders. Former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo said the decision to proceed with elections was a dangerous threat to Somalia's statehood and future. Former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said a contested electoral process could lead to parallel elections and civil conflict, according to the same report. Al Jazeera

Reuters also reported that Somalia said it will hold a presidential election in May 2027. U.S. News