Guinea’s military government has announced plans to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in December 2025.
This move comes after the country missed its initial deadline for a return to civilian administration on December 31, 2024.
Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah stated that everything is being done to ensure the elections take place at the end of the year. “We haven’t set a date, but everything is being done to make sure it happens at the end of the year, in December,” Bah said in a telephone interview with AFP.
The elections are expected to follow a constitutional referendum scheduled for September 21, 2025. Bah emphasized the importance of voter registration efforts, saying, “Everyone is mobilised for registration everywhere, both in the interior of the country and in the capital, because that is what will be decisive.”
The announcement has been made amidst concerns over the junta’s commitment to transitioning power to civilians. Guinea’s military leadership seized power in 2021 and has faced international pressure to hold elections and return to democratic rule.
Guinea’s opposition has accused the government of ramping up repression to silence dissident voices. Several key opposition figures have been arrested, and some have been forced into exile. The government has also banned demonstrations and withdrawn broadcasting licenses from independent media organizations.
There are also concerns that junta leader General Mamady Doumbouya may attempt to participate in the presidential election, despite initially promising not to stand. Some leading figures from Guinea’s ruling party have publicly backed a potential run for president by Doumbouya, and a new constitution could pave the way for his candidacy.
The upcoming elections will be crucial in determining the country’s future, with many hoping for a return to democratic governance. As Bah noted, “The referendum on September 21 and the two major elections, coupled, at the end of the year, in December.”