Guinea’s ruling military junta has created a new electoral institution to oversee upcoming votes, including a referendum in September and general and presidential elections in December 2025. The move, announced by junta leader Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya, is part of a broader transition plan initially promised in 2022.
Known as the Directorate General of Elections (DGE), the body is responsible for organizing all elections, maintaining the voter register, and ensuring electoral transparency. Doumbouya declared in a televised address over the weekend that the two heads of the new body will be “appointed by presidential decree.” He added that the DGE will also serve as Guinea’s representative in regional and international electoral forums.
The announcement follows months of uncertainty and political unrest. Gen. Doumbouya, who seized power in 2021 after toppling President Alpha Condé, had committed to returning Guinea to civilian rule by December 31, 2024. But in May, Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah pushed the general and presidential elections to December 2025, effectively extending the junta’s grip on power.
He also confirmed that a constitutional referendum would be held on “September 21,” as previously stated by the junta in April. The upcoming votes are intended to be pivotal moments in Guinea’s democratic transition, but observers remain skeptical.
Opposition Fears Poll Credibility Issues
The credibility of the electoral process is now under heavy scrutiny, especially given the junta’s recent history. Rights groups and political opponents have condemned last year’s decision to dissolve more than 50 political parties — an act the military claimed was necessary to “clean up the political chessboard.”
Civil society organizations argue this move undermines democratic pluralism and sets the stage for one-sided elections. Further concerns stem from the government’s ongoing media crackdown. Authorities have frequently cut access to social media, shut down private radio stations, and disrupted online news platforms. Journalists who report critically on the junta have also faced harassment, threats, and arrests.
The creation of the DGE is seen by critics as an effort by the military regime to maintain control over the electoral process, rather than relinquishing power. Although the new body has been granted broad responsibilities, its leadership, appointed solely by the presidency, raises fears of potential bias and lack of independence.
Guinea’s current political crisis has its roots in the military coup of September 5, 2021. At the time, elite soldiers led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya stormed the presidential palace in Conakry, detained President Condé, and suspended the constitution. The military justified the coup by citing “corruption, economic mismanagement, and denial of citizens’ rights.”
Condé, despite being Guinea’s first democratically elected leader, sparked controversy by altering the constitution to run for a third term. His rule had become increasingly authoritarian, marred by economic decline and mass protests.
Initially, many Guineans welcomed the junta’s promise to restore dignity and bring reform. However, the regime has since failed to deliver on its commitments. Deadlines for elections have repeatedly been missed, and military officers have replaced civilian officials across government structures.
Municipal councils have been disbanded, and political dissent has been met with violent crackdowns, resulting in deaths and widespread arrests. This has drawn rebuke from regional blocs such as ECOWAS and the African Union, both of which have demanded a swift and transparent return to constitutional rule.
While the new electoral roadmap aims to advance the transition process, doubts linger. The junta’s continued concentration of power and efforts to silence critics suggest that the path to democracy remains fragile. For Guinea’s future to be genuinely democratic, civil society groups insist that the electoral process must be credible, inclusive, and independently managed.
