South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has signed amendments to the country’s election law ahead of national elections scheduled for December. The changes remove provisions requiring the completion of a permanent constitution and a national census before voting can take place. The amended law also shrinks the size of the national legislature and state assemblies. The amendments are significant because South Sudan’s elections have been repeatedly delayed since the country gained independence in 2011. While Kiir’s government has presented the legislative changes as part of preparations for the long-delayed vote, the main opposition coalition has rejected them, saying they were pushed through without proper consultation. The dispute highlights continuing disagreements over the conditions under which elections should take place and the terms of the country’s political transition.