Guinea will hold its first presidential election since Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya seized power in a 2021 coup, according to a presidential decree broadcast on state television Saturday.
The announcement came a day after the Supreme Court validated the results of a constitutional referendum that could pave the way for Doumbouya to run for president.
Guinea is among several West African nations where the military has assumed control and delayed a return to civilian rule. Doumbouya, who has led the country since 2021, had agreed in 2022 to initiate a democratic transition with a deadline of Dec. 31, 2024.
The junta’s failure to meet this timeline sparked opposition protests that paralyzed the capital, Conakry, earlier this year.
Doumbouya had previously declared he would not seek the presidency, but the newly approved draft constitution allows members of the ruling junta to contest elections. The changes also extend the presidential term from five to seven years, with the possibility of two renewals.