DAKAR, Senegal — The military government in Guinea has instituted a new body tasked with steering the country through upcoming electoral processes, including a constitutional referendum scheduled for September and both general and presidential elections planned for December.
Guinea is among a number of West African nations that have experienced military coups, subsequently postponing a return to civilian governance. In power since 2021, Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya committed in 2022 to initiating a democratic transition on the basis of a Dec. 31, 2024, deadline for returning to civilian rule.
The junta’s inability to adhere to this timeline incited opposition-led demonstrations that effectively disrupted Conakry, the nation’s capital, earlier this year.
The newly formed Directorate General of Elections, also known as the DGE, is set to oversee various responsibilities including the organization of elections, management of the electoral registry, and ensuring the integrity of electoral proceedings, as decreed by junta leader Doumbouya during a broadcast on state television over the weekend.
Leadership appointments for the DGE will be made through presidential decree, further disclosed by Doumbouya. Additionally, the institution will position Guinea within subregional, regional, and international electoral organizations.
In a statement last month, Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah outlined plans for general and presidential elections to be conducted in December 2025. He also endorsed a referendum on the new constitution proposed to be held on Sept. 21, following the junta’s previous announcement in April.
Nonetheless, skepticism about the elections’ legitimacy persists. In an extensive political shake-up, the military regime disbanded over 50 political parties last year, justifying this decision as a necessary ‘political restructuring.’
There have also been allegations of media suppression under the regime, as reported by human rights groups. Restrictions on independent media have reportedly included social network disruptions, suspension of private radio broadcasts, and prolonged interruptions of information websites without formal clarification, alongside reported incidents of journalist harassment.