Elections Planned for December 6 in Guinea-Bissau Postponed
It was announced that the elections were postponed because political parties could not hold their congresses and missed the candidate application deadline.
Prime Minister İlídio Vieira Té of Guinea-Bissau announced that the presidential and parliamentary elections planned for December 6 have been postponed due to political parties failing to complete their preparations and disruptions in the candidacy processes.
Reason for Postponement of Elections
The presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled to take place in Guinea-Bissau on December 6 have been postponed to a later date. Prime Minister İlídio Vieira Té did not announce a new election date in his statement to reporters.
Political Parties and Candidacy Process
Prime Minister Té stated that political parties were unable to organize congresses to choose their own leaders. He also emphasized that potential candidates missed the October 6 deadline granted for submitting applications to the Supreme Court.
Constitutional Amendment and Political Background
In the West African country of Guinea-Bissau, voters approved a new constitution that expands its powers in August. The presidential election held in the country last November was interrupted when soldiers seized power before the results were announced.
Blocking of Former President's Return
The government prevented former President Umaro Sissoco Embalo from returning to the country last week, citing national security reasons. It was stated that Embalo planned to return to the country on Sunday and compete in the presidential election.
Civil Society Criticisms and Investigations
Civil society activists argue that the current transitional administration is creating an atmosphere of fear in order to suppress political opposition. While the murder of Vigario Luis Balanta, a popular rapper and political movement founder, is cited as an example of this situation, the government denies the accusations and states that it is investigating the incident.