The Somali Federal Parliament has officially adopted a new constitution, a move intended to finalize the country’s transition to a stable democratic framework. This legislative milestone marks the nation’s transition from a provisional system to a permanent legal foundation. The new constitution delegates the power to elect a new president to parliament, whose members will be elected by the public. It also extends presidential terms from four to five years and imposes a two-term presidential limit. The legislative change grants President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the central government increased executive authority and a clearer mandate to consolidate state power. However, federal member states and regional leaders will lose the autonomy allowed by previous legal ambiguities, while opposition factions lose the “status quo” leverage they used to stall central directives. Once signed by the president, the new constitution will move power from clan-based consensus models toward a more centralized federal presidency, potentially streamlining national security and economic policy. However, it risks triggering immediate friction with semi-autonomous regions like Puntland that view centralization as a threat to their specific interests.
Anadolu Ajansi
