This Thursday, December 25th, marks a major democratic turning point for Somalia. For the first time since 1969, citizens of Greater Mogadishu (Banadir region) are going to the polls to elect their local representatives by direct universal suffrage .

Key figures from the election

1. Seats to be filled: 390 local councillors.
2. Candidates in the running: 1,600.
3. Expected voters: Approximately 400,000 people.
4. Security: More than 10,000 agents deployed to counter the threat of the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab.

A leap towards the principle of "one person, one vote"

Since the fall of dictator Siad Barre, Somalia had operated under a complex system of indirect voting based on clan leaders. The current president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has made the transition to direct suffrage the cornerstone of his presidency.

Although Puntland (in 2023) and the breakaway region of Somaliland already use this voting system, it is a first for federal Somalia. This local vote serves as a viability test before the parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for 2026.

A climate of tension and boycott

Despite the historical significance of the event, consensus is far from being reached:

1. Opposition boycott: The president's opponents denounce a unilateral power grab and fear that this reform will serve as a pretext for extending the presidential term.
2. Logistics under close surveillance: Due to chronic instability, traffic is drastically restricted in the capital. Secure buses are transporting voters to polling stations.
3. Successive postponements: Initially scheduled for 2024, the election was postponed three times before finally being able to take place today.

The challenge: Successfully completing this democratic transition would allow Somalia to break free from the clan system, but the fragile security situation and the political divide with the opposition remain major obstacles to the continuation of the federal process.