Somalia says it will hold elections in 2027

Somalia’s Independent National Elections and Boundaries Commission announced parliamentary elections for April 15, 2027, and a presidential election for May 15. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term, which began in 2022, ended earlier this year, but his government declared a transition period after a constitutional amendment opposed by political rivals. Mohamud supports replacing the clan-elder election system with party-based elections, while critics call the move a power grab. Former presidents Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed warned that the disputed process could threaten the country’s future and lead to parallel elections or civil conflict.