Somalia
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Puntland election commission approves eight political parties for regional vote


Monday July 31, 2023

Garowe (HOL) - The Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission has announced the names of eight political organizations officially recognized as political parties for the upcoming regional election.

The Election Commission stated on Monday that it had approved these parties and will soon grant them recognition certificates, following last week's changes made in the Puntland constitution.

Some recognized parties did not previously participate in any elections and remain reluctant to participate in the upcoming election. However, the electoral commission urged them to participate in the remaining elections for local councils, the parliament, and the presidency.

Last week, the Parliament of the Puntland Regional State amended certain provisions of the previous constitution regarding the recognition of political parties, despite opposition groups opposing the amendments.

The most significant change that has sparked debate is the provision that previously allowed only three parties to participate in the elections. Still, parliament decided eight political parties would be permitted to participate.

In response to these developments, Puntland's opposition politicians threaten to conduct a unilateral election after January 8, 2024, only if President Said Deni attempts to extend his term and fails to hold the scheduled regional elections.