Djibouti’s President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, age 78, is poised to extend his 27-year rule in the April 10 election, which the opposition is boycotting. After pushing through constitutional changes in October 2025 that removed presidential age limits, Guelleh faces no serious challenger. He first eliminated term limits in 2010 and now the age restriction, clearing his path to remain in power. The development means that elite political and business networks in Djibouti will continue to have access to state resources, while foreign powers maintain their vital military leases. In contrast, the opposition and younger generations remain excluded from genuine political participation. In the long term, adapting constitutional laws to serve individual survival creates the risk of deep socio-economic instability once an inevitable, unplanned succession crisis finally occurs.
The Conversation
