The presidential decree postponing the legislative elections in Guinea-Bissau was published, following the announcement by Umaro Sissoco Embaló. The elections were scheduled for November 24.
The postponement of the early legislative elections in Guinea-Bissau was made official this Monday in a presidential decree, after the head of state, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, made the announcement on Saturday.
The decree signed this Monday by the President of the Republic was read by the spokesperson for the Presidency in a video published on the official website of the Guinean sovereign body.
Presidential decree No. 39 of 2024 repeals another decree signed on July 16 that scheduled early legislative elections for November 24, following President Sissoco Embaló’s decision to dissolve parliament on December 4, 2023.
The head of state had announced, on Saturday, after a meeting with officials from the Ministry of the Interior, the postponement for 20 days of the electoral event that was scheduled for this Monday.
The president of Guinea-Bissau announces the postponement of the legislative elections of November 24
The decision was formalized this Monday in a presidential decree that justifies the cancellation of the elections and the Government’s opinion was made public on Friday.
“According to the duly substantiated opinion of the Government, “the essential conditions for holding the aforementioned elections on the initially scheduled date are not met.”says the decree.
Thus, it continues, “the President of the Republic decrees (that) presidential decree No. 26 of 2024, of July 16, which sets the date of November 24, 2024 for the holding of legislative elections, is repealed.”
This presidential decree comes into effect immediately, said the Presidency spokesperson, who also reported that “soon “The President of the Republic will set by decree the new date for the next legislative elections.”.
This Monday the decision of the head of state to promote four officers of the Armed Forces to “adapt their ranks to the functions for which they were designated” was also announced.
Two promotions were to major general, one to commodore and the other to brigadier general.
They will be ratified by the Higher Council of National Defense, at the next meeting, as reported by the Presidency of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
When he announced the decision to postpone the legislative elections, the President of the Republic, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, spoke of the possibility of a government of national unity.
He also stated that as long as power is won through the vote of the people, he will remain in power “until the year two thousand and thirty-something,” which would be equivalent to another term in the Presidency of Guinea-Bissau.
The head of state ends his current term on February 27 and continues to target November 2025 for the holding of presidential elections, despite several internal voices in the country maintaining that the elections should take place before the end of his term.
Source: Observadora
