Deputy PM: Opposition Agrees to One-Person, One-Vote Principle, but Details Unresolved

MOGADISHU – Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama has announced that opposition parties have agreed in principle to a one-person, one-vote electoral system, describing the development as a significant breakthrough in the ongoing political dialogue between the Federal Government and opposition groups.

Speaking on Thursday evening, Jama said that most parties had accepted the principle that Somali citizens should have the right to directly elect their leaders. However, he noted that discussions continue over the specific mechanism for implementing the direct electoral system, including the role of political parties and the management of the electoral process.

“During these days of talks, we have been pleased to see that most, if not all, of our various partners have genuinely agreed on the principle that the decision-making power of the Somali people should be handed to the citizens, and that every Somali citizen has the right to vote and be voted for. This principle does not appear to be a point of disagreement,” Jama said.

The talks, which began on July 7, are viewed as a critical opportunity to break the political deadlock that has gripped the country since the collapse of previous negotiations at Mogadishu’s Halane compound in May.

Multi-Party System and Electoral Management

The Deputy Prime Minister also indicated that there is broad agreement on the need for a multi-party political system as the foundation for democratic governance. He said the elections would be based on a multi-party framework, which he described as a principle that is being widely accepted.

“The election we are talking about will be built on a multi-party system, and you could say that is a principle that is being welcomed,” Jama said.

He added that discussions are also focusing on establishing an administrative framework for managing direct elections that is transparent and acceptable to all parties. “It has also been agreed, and it seems to be widely accepted, that the election will provide an opportunity for all Somali people wherever it is possible to hold elections, and that any special circumstances will be managed jointly,” he said.

The opposition has previously unveiled a detailed electoral roadmap that it says could break the political stalemate, featuring a constituency-based system in which citizens directly elect parliamentary representatives while retaining the clan allocation formula.

A Step Toward Ending the Political Stalemate

The Deputy Prime Minister expressed optimism that the talks would help Somalia move beyond the indirect electoral system that has been in place for decades. He said the government has high hopes that the negotiations will succeed in bringing about fundamental change to the country’s political system.

“We have great hope in this role that we will succeed in the fundamental goal of bringing about a major change to the political system that has been in place in the country, which has been an indirect election that has set back the country and its people,” Jama said.

The talks come amid deep divisions over the electoral model, with the federal government advocating for a one-person, one-vote system while the opposition Future Council has proposed an alternative “Expanded Indirect Election” model that blends direct voting with the 4.5 clan power-sharing formula.

International Support and Way Forward

International partners have repeatedly urged renewed dialogue between the Somali government and opposition groups, warning that broad political consensus is essential for the legitimacy and stability of any future election process.

The Deputy Prime Minister’s statement suggests a potential convergence on the principle of universal suffrage, but significant work remains to be done on the operational details. The opposition has previously warned against any attempt to impose a contested electoral process and has insisted on a framework that preserves the 4.5 clan power-sharing formula.

The coming days will determine whether the parties can translate this principled agreement into a concrete electoral framework that commands broad political acceptance.