Somali Council of Ministers approves electoral and political parties laws

Somali Council of Ministers approved new electoral and political partry laws during its weekly meeting in Mogadishu on Thursday, aiming to guide the country's transition to a one-person, one-vote election system.

The government spokesperson, Farhan Mohamed Jimale, announced that the laws are designed to ensure that the people can directly vote for their leaders, a significant shift from the previous indirect voting system.

The laws are expected to be presented to the Somali parliament next week, though some politicians and parliamentarians oppose them.

Last year, the National Consultative Council, which includes key federal leaders such as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, and Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, along with four regional leaders and the Mayor of Mogadishu, declared that Somalia would transition to direct voting. This decision marked a pivotal shift in the nation's electoral process.

The newly approved party law stipulates that Somalia should have only two political parties, a provision that has been met with resistance from opposition groups, including former Presidents Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo and Sheikh Sharif. The electoral law, meanwhile, emphasizes the direct election of leaders by the people, reflecting the government's commitment to democratic reforms.