Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud and four opposition leaders have reached an agreement on the roadmap for the country’s upcoming elections.
The deal, finalized on August 25, 2025, sets out how the 2026 polls will be conducted following Parliament’s approval of a new electoral law last year.
The law, passed in October 2024, introduces universal suffrage, marking a shift away from Somalia’s long-standing clan-based system.
Under the agreement, Members of Parliament will be chosen through direct voting, while the President will continue to be elected by Parliament.
Political parties that secure at least 10% of seats in the legislature will gain official status.
All parties to the agreement have committed to transitioning toward a “one person, one vote” system, a move hailed by the government as a turning point in state-building.
President Mohamoud described the deal as the outcome of two months of intense negotiations.
Still, the reforms have stirred division within Somalia’s political scene. Some opposition figures argue that security challenges make such changes premature.
Former President Sherif Sheikh Ahmed has voiced doubts over whether conditions in the country can support a fully open electoral process.
The deal is a boost for the current administration but maintaining unity among a divided opposition may prove difficult as Somalia moves toward its most ambitious elections in decades.