Guinea will hold its first presidential election since the 2021 coup on 28 December, according to a decree read on state television.
The announcement came a day after the Supreme Court validated the results of a referendum approving a new constitution, which could allow coup leader Mamady Doumbouya to contest the vote. Doumbouya has not yet declared his intentions.
Guinea, home to the world’s largest bauxite reserves and the vast untapped Simandou iron ore deposit, is of strategic global economic importance.
The September 2021 coup was among eight military takeovers that swept West and Central Africa between 2020 and 2023. While some countries, such as Chad and Gabon, have since held elections to mark transitions to civilian rule, others, including Mali and Niger, have extended transition periods without elections.
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Doumbouya’s government initially proposed a two-year transition after negotiations with regional bloc ECOWAS but failed to meet that deadline.
The new constitution replaces the transitional framework that barred junta members from running for office. It also extends presidential terms from five to seven years, renewable once, and creates a new Senate.
According to official results, 89% of voters approved the constitution, with turnout put at 92%. Opposition groups have disputed the figures, saying they contradict low voter participation observed at polling stations
