SOMALIA’s PRESIDENT REACH HISTORIC ELECTION AGREEMENT WITH OPPOSITION LEADERS

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud and four key opposition leaders have signed an agreement on the country's upcoming elections, finalized on August 25, 2025.

The framework, building on a 2024 electoral law that introduces universal suffrage for 2026, aims to shift towards a more inclusive electoral process, including the election of the President by Parliament and MPs through universal suffrage.

Political parties with at least 10% of seats will gain official recognition, and all actors have committed to transitioning to a "one person, one vote" system. While seen as a progressive step, the reform has faced opposition from those committed to the traditional clan-based system and has revealed divisions within the opposition, particularly from former President Sherif Sheikh Ahmed, who questions the security readiness for such reforms.