Wrangles over election date have Somalia on edge

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud signs the recently approved Constitution in Mogadishu, Somalia on March 8, 2026.

Photo credit: Reuters

Somalia’s federal parliament on March 4 approved a new constitution allowing citizens to directly elect members of parliament for the first time in decades, marking a shift from the clan-based system.

But while the law opens electoral decisions to the public, uncertainty remains over when the next elections will take place.