Guinea-Bissau vote in doubt as ECOWAS urges talks

ECOWAS urged Guinea-Bissau's junta on Friday to hold broad consultations on the electoral calendar after the country's electoral commission said conditions would not be in place for elections by December 6.

The West African regional bloc called on the authorities to consult national stakeholders “in a transparent and inclusive manner” to preserve conditions for a peaceful return to constitutional order.

The presidential and legislative vote had been due on December 6 after a November coup overthrew president Umaro Sissoco Embalo and suspended the electoral process days after voting. Many observers suspected Embalo of orchestrating the coup to halt an election process he appeared to be losing.

Guinea-Bissau has faced political and security turmoil in the weeks before the deadline. The country has had five coups and numerous attempted coups since independence from Portugal in 1974.