Somalia elections set for April and May 2027

Somalia’s election commission said parliamentary elections would be held on April 15, 2027, followed by a presidential vote on May 15, 2027, despite deep political divisions and security concerns.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s term ended earlier in 2026, and his government declared a transition period in May despite an agreement with the opposition on holding elections.

Mohamud has been trying to move Somalia toward democratic elections and away from a system based around clan elders. Regional leaders have opposed his efforts, viewing them as a power grab.

The commission said the presidential vote date followed a rule stating that the president’s term lasts five years from the date the president is sworn in.

Mohamud took office in 2022. He has argued that he received an extra year in office when parliament passed an amended constitution earlier in 2026 that set the framework for elections and extended the vote.

Opposition parties boycotted that vote and have rejected the changes.

Large parts of Somalia are also under the control of the Islamist insurgent group Al-Shabaab, and little progress has been made on organising elections beyond a few local areas.