Mogadishu (Hornpost) Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud and Some of Opposition Leaders Agree to Maintain Parliamentary Election System, although other political leaders did not agree this process.

Summary: The Federal Government has dropped plans for a one-person-one-vote election, agreeing instead that the President will continue to be elected by Parliament.

Read here the official Communique

Communiqué

Taking into account the importance of national unity, political stability, and inclusive good governance, while prioritizing the process of Somali state-building, the Federal Government of Somalia and part of the Somali Salvation Forum (Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman, former Speaker of the House of the People of the Federal Parliament of Somalia (FPS) and current member of the House of the People, now Deputy Chairperson of the Salvation Forum; Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, former Speaker of Parliament and former President of South West State; former Prime Minister of Somalia Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke; former Minister Dahir Mohamud Geelle, currently Spokesperson of the Salvation Forum) have jointly issued the following points:

1. Agreement has been reached on strengthening the sovereignty and unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia (FRS).
2. Consensus has been reached to jointly contribute to enhancing national security and efforts to liberate areas still under the control of extremists.
3. The Federal Parliament shall elect the President of the FRS, while State Assemblies shall elect the leaders and deputy leaders of the Federal Member States.
4. The President shall have the authority to appoint the Prime Minister of the FRS, subject to approval by the House of the People, which also retains the right to withdraw confidence.
5. It has been agreed that any political organization securing at least 10% of federal parliamentary seats shall be recognized as a national party.
6. The national electoral process shall be based on the 2024 Electoral Law, taking into consideration the provisions outlined in this communiqué.
7. It has been agreed to promptly move forward with holding elections for local councils, federal member states, and the Federal Government.
8. It has been agreed to expedite the completion of the pending chapters of the Federal Constitution to ensure legality and strengthen the state-building process.
9. Consensus has been reached that both ruling, and opposition groups shall jointly participate in the process towards direct elections (one person, one vote), through which local councils, state assemblies, and the two Houses of the Federal Parliament shall be elected.

Appeal:

10. Building upon this mutual understanding on previously contentious issues, we call upon all political stakeholders to unite and contribute to the completion of Somalia’s democratization process.

END

Hornpost staff Reporter

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