Somalia: Talks Stall as Rift Widens Over Constitutional Amendments, Election Model  

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The meeting between the federal government of Somalia and the opposition coalition collapsed, Sunday, with organisers now rescheduling it to August 13th, but without a guarantee of attendance from a section of leaders.

According to reports, the two parties failed to reach an agreement, leading to the postponement of the talks. There are also internal rifts within the opposition over the discussion of the issues that should be handled.

The disagreements centre on how to unify political positions ahead of the 2026 elections and on whether to amend key sections of the provisional constitution. Should the meeting take place on Wednesday, it will be the fifth time the teams have met.

President Hassan Sheikh's decision to push for constitutional amendments has partly contributed to the downfall within the political class, with critics accusing him of pursuing the changes for his benefit. Besides the opposition leaders, Jubaland and Puntland have disowned the changes.

Under the new order, Hassan Sheikh is pushing for the implementation of the constitution that would lead to abandoning the old electoral model — indirect polls, which would be replaced by direct polls, popularly known as universal suffrage.

The Opposition Salvation Forum, an alliance of political figures and former officials, has been pressing for a clear electoral framework, while government negotiators stress the need for political stability before making binding commitments.

While it's not clear if the teams will reach a final agreement on Wednesday, the opposition wants Hassan Sheikh to drop the changes and allow the country to conduct indirect polls, for fear of the fact that direct polls would lead to unprecedented term extensions.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is facing intense criticism over his management style, with critics accusing him of mismanaging the country by collapsing federalism. The federal government is accused of attempting to undermine federalism.

GAROWE ONLINE