Somali Government, Opposition Faction Strike Preliminary Political Deal

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The Federal Government of Somalia and a section of members of the opposition coalition, the National Salvation Forum, have reached a preliminary agreement on the country’s future political framework.

Under the deal announced Tuesday, parliament will elect the president, who will appoint the prime minister. Lawmakers will retain the power to dismiss the prime minister. The two sides also agreed that members of parliament will be directly elected by citizens — a major step toward universal suffrage.

Former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid, who took part in the talks, confirmed the arrangement, saying it balances presidential and parliamentary authority while opening the way for direct public participation.

Other provisions include speeding up local council elections, completing pending constitutional articles, recognizing any political group that secures at least 10 percent of seats as a national party, and strengthening cooperation on security and the fight against Al-Shabaab.

The agreement comes after months of disputes between opposition leaders and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over the management of elections and power-sharing. While the deal is seen as progress, its implementation will be tested in the run-up to national and local polls.

The group involved in the agreement includes former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke and former Speakers of Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden and Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman, as well as former Information Minister Dahir Mohamud Geelle, all of whom recently broke away from the main opposition coalition