Guinea-Bissau’s President Embalo refuses to step down after his term expired on February 28, 2025. Domingos Simoes Pereira demands his resignation and new elections, amid widespread protests calling for respect of the constitution. Military presence increases as tensions rise, with critics calling out the government’s neglect of domestic issues.
On February 28, 2025, President Embalo’s five-year term expired; legally, he should have stepped down but refused to do so. Domingos Simoes Pereira, leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), emphasized that Embalo must exit immediately. Pereira leads a coalition of parties that secured a significant victory in the 2023 legislative elections, yet Embalo obstructed the establishment of a government.
The parliamentary term also ended, prompting Pereira to seek new presidential and legislative elections within 90 days, contrasting with Embalo’s announcement of a November 30 date. Pereira asserts that the constitution mandates a swift return of the dissolved assembly from 2023, as this assembly is essential for electing the electoral commission and appointing the constitutional court president.
Nuno Nabiam, a former Prime Minister and leader of the second-largest opposition party, API, commented that protests are inevitable until legal order is restored. He stated, “Protests are unavoidable; matters must stabilize until the constitution is reinstated. The constitution must be protected.”
Guinea-Bissau nationals living abroad have held protests calling for respect for the constitution and for Embalo to resign. Demonstrators, notably in Lisbon, Portugal, argue that since Embalo’s term has ended, he should resign gracefully for democracy’s progress.
Embalo has ruled Guinea-Bissau using special regulations for over a year and appears intent on undermining Pereira, accusing him of corruption and vowing not to appoint him as Prime Minister. Pedro Jandim, a PAIGC representative in Germany, criticized Embalo for neglecting domestic issues, pointing out that schools and hospitals are inoperable.
Currently, Embalo seems determined to cling to power and suppress opposition parties while appointing only his selected individuals to the government. Embalo, a former military general, served as Prime Minister from 2016 to 2018, having previously been part of PAIGC before defecting to the MADEM G15 party.
Embalo has disparaged opposition figures as uninformed, citing his interactions with Vladimir Putin in Moscow as noteworthy. Interior Minister Botche Candé, one of Embalo’s key supporters, threatened not to tolerate protests, asserting that security forces would quell any disturbances.
Guinea-Bissau remains tense, with military presence heightened in the streets as citizens fear future developments. The ECOWAS delegation, led by Nigerian diplomat Ambassador Bagudu Hirse, visited but departed shortly after Embalo threatened to expel them prior to his trip to Russia. Bubacar Ture, head of human rights groups in Guinea-Bissau, expressed skepticism about ECOWAS’s ability to resolve the ongoing crisis.
In summary, President Embalo’s refusal to relinquish power following the expiration of his term has escalated tensions in Guinea-Bissau. Domingos Simoes Pereira insists on the necessity of new elections, while former leaders also call for a return to constitutional order. Amid protests and military presence in the streets, the stability of the nation hangs in the balance, with opposition parties facing suppression and no clear resolution in sight.
Original Source: www.dw.com
