Somali election talks resume in Mogadishu as sides agree on three basic principles

Mogadishu (DARBAB) — A second round of Somalia’s electoral talks resumed in Mogadishu on Monday as the federal government and opposition groups seek consensus on elections and disputed constitutional amendments.

The talks, organized by Turkey, were attended by representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia, the Somali Salvation Forum and Nabad iyo Nolol, as well as delegates from Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United Nations.

Sources said the meetings were held separately, with each opposition group meeting mediators on its own. The Somali Salvation Forum met the mediators first, followed later in the day by Nabad iyo Nolol. Federal government representatives also met mediators separately.

An opposition alliance led by former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke is expected to join the talks Tuesday, sources said.

The first round of the talks focused on each side submitting its preferred electoral model. The second round is focused on discussing and comparing those models.

Four electoral models have been submitted to the mediators, according to sources familiar with the process.

During Monday’s talks, the federal government and the opposition groups agreed on three basic principles: preserving clan quotas, maintaining the 30% women’s quota and holding elections based on one person, one vote.

Preserving clan quotas means maintaining the existing 4.5 clan power-sharing formula, under which parliamentary seats remain allocated among clans.

The parties have not yet begun detailed discussions on the main disputed issues, including which constitutional framework should guide the elections, what is the electoral model and which electoral commission should manage the vote.

The federal government wants the elections to be based on the Constitution approved in 2026, while opposition groups insist that the 2012 Provisional Constitution should remain the basis for the elections and electoral laws.

Diplomatic sources said mediators expect Somali stakeholders to agree on one electoral model and its implementation mechanism to avoid further conflict and support the country’s political rebuilding.