Guinea-Bissau has set December 6 2026, as the date for presidential and legislative elections, more than a year after a military takeover halted the country’s electoral process in the West African state.
The date was announced through a presidential decree signed on Wednesday, bringing the first formal timeline since the coup that unfolded late last year.
The power grab occurred a day before the national electoral commission was expected to announce the results of a disputed election. Army officers, who described themselves as the “Military High Command,” moved in and removed then-President Umaro Sissoco Embalo from office.
Major General Horta Inta a was installed as interim president the following day, placing the military at the centre of political authority.
The coup drew criticism from the Economic Community of West African States, which urged the soldiers to restore constitutional order and allow the electoral process to continue.
Despite regional pressure, Guinea Bissau’s electoral commission said it could not complete the election after armed men seized ballot papers and destroyed servers used to store voting results.
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