By Goth Mohamed Goth
MOGADISHU – In a significant breakthrough for national unity, the Somali federal government and the main opposition alliance have sealed a comprehensive agreement on a framework for the country’s next elections, ending months of tense negotiations.
The deal, announced in a joint Communiqué on Monday, was reached after two months of talks between the government and the Somali Salvation Forum (SSF). Both sides hailed the accord as a critical step toward strengthening Somalia’s state-building process and resolving a persistent electoral deadlock.
A key feature of the agreement is the structure for electing leadership. The Federal Parliament will elect the president, who will then appoint a prime minister subject to approval by the House of the People. In a significant shift, the leaders of Somalia’s federal member states will be directly responsible for choosing members of parliament.
The framework also establishes a political threshold, granting official national party status only to organizations that secure a minimum of 10 percent of parliamentary seats.
Officials confirmed that the upcoming elections will be conducted under the 2024 electoral law, with immediate preparations beginning for local, state, and federal polls. A central pillar of the deal is the pledge to finalize Somalia’s long-provisional constitution, a move intended to provide clearer legal guidance and stronger institutional foundations.
Furthermore, the agreement outlines a gradual transition away from the traditional clan-based power-sharing model toward a direct, one-person, one-vote electoral system where citizens cast their own ballots—a longstanding goal for the nation’s democratization.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud welcomed the agreement as a historic turning point. “The door to state-building is now open for the Somali people,” he stated, an all inclusive process for all stakeholders.
The communiqué also emphasized that the political accord aligns with ongoing military efforts to defeat the al-Shabab militant group, reinforcing national sovereignty and unity.
However, the path forward is not without challenges. The opposition Somali Salvation Forum itself is reported to be divided, with one faction rejecting the government’s electoral blueprint. This internal dissent raises concerns about the unified implementation of the deal across the political spectrum.
Despite this, the parties have urged all political actors to unite behind the new framework, hoping it will finally break the cycle of electoral disputes and delayed transitions that have hampered Somalia’s progress for years.
