CONAKRY, Guinea — In a significant political development on Monday, Guinea’s government announced the dissolution of numerous political parties and placed two major opposition groups under close supervision. This move comes as the transitional government has not yet set a date for upcoming elections.

Since a military coup removed President Alpha Conde from power in 2021, Guinea has been under military rule. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been advocating for a swift return to civilian governance, with elections tentatively planned for 2025.

The unprecedented action involving the dissolution of 53 political parties and the temporary suspension of 54 others for three months marks a notable shift in the political landscape of Guinea, which conducted its first democratic elections in 2010 after years of authoritarian governance. The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralization stated that these decisions were based on evaluations of political parties that began in June, aiming to “clean up the political chessboard.”

The 67 parties that will be monitored over the next three months are still allowed to function normally but are required to address the irregularities identified in the evaluation report. Among these parties are the Rally of the Guinean People, previously led by former President Alpha Condé, and the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea, another prominent opposition party.

Government authorities cited several reasons for placing these parties under supervision, including failure to convene party congresses within the designated timeframe and not providing necessary financial statements, among other compliance issues.

Guinea is part of a broader trend in West Africa, where countries like Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have also experienced military takeovers, resulting in delays in transitioning back to civilian rule. For instance, earlier this year, Burkina Faso’s military junta extended its transitional period by an additional five years.

Col. Mamadi Doumbouya, who leads the Guinean government, previously stated that his takeover was justified in preventing the country from descending into chaos, criticizing the former administration for its unfulfilled promises. However, since assuming power, Doumbouya has faced backlash for not delivering improvements over his predecessor’s administration.

Earlier this year, the military leader dissolved the government without prior notice, asserting that a new cabinet would be appointed shortly. Doumbouya has also resisted calls from Western nations and other international actors to intervene in Africa’s political issues, expressing that Africans are weary of being pigeonholed by outside perceptions.