Guinea will hold its first presidential election in four years on 28 December, the transitional authorities announced Saturday, following a controversial constitutional referendum that critics say was engineered to keep the ruling junta in power. The referendum, held on 21 September, officially passed with 89% of voters in favor and a reported turnout of 86%. Opposition parties, however, boycotted the vote, calling it an “electoral masquerade” with results “known in advance.”
One of the most contentious changes allows General Mamady Doumbouya, the coup leader who toppled President Alpha Condé in 2021, to run for office despite his earlier pledge that neither he nor other junta members would contest elections meant to return Guinea to civilian rule. The new constitution also extends the presidential mandate from five to seven years, renewable once.
Since seizing power, Doumbouya has ruled with military discipline, tightening restrictions on dissent and free speech. Rights groups and opposition voices have accused his government of cracking down on critics while pushing through reforms that consolidate power. The December election will mark Guinea’s first presidential vote since the coup, but questions remain about its credibility, given the opposition’s rejection of the referendum and the climate of repression.
