Guinea’s government has announced the establishment of a new electoral body tasked with overseeing the country’s upcoming constitutional referendum and national elections, marking a significant step in its long-promised transition to civilian rule.
A newly created Directorate General for Elections (DGE) will be responsible for organizing and overseeing all electoral processes, including voter registration and ensuring transparency, according to a decree issued by leader General Mamadi Doumbouya and broadcast on state television late Saturday. The DGE will also represent Guinea in regional and international electoral affairs. The body’s leadership will be appointed by presidential decree.
The development comes as the West African country prepares for a constitutional referendum scheduled for September 21, followed by general and presidential elections in December 2025, as confirmed by Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah last month.
Doubts about the credibility of the electoral process remain. Rights groups and opposition figures have raised concerns about the government’s political repression, including the dissolution of more than 50 political parties in 2023, a move that authorities say aims to “clear the political chessboard.”