In the recent elections held on Sunday, an opposition coalition in Guinea-Bissau has emerged victorious, securing an overall majority in parliament. This outcome implies that President Umaro Sissoco Embaló will need to form a power-sharing arrangement with a prime minister appointed by the PAI-Terra Ranka coalition, which includes the former ruling PAIGC party.
According to the electoral commission, the coalition secured 54 out of the 102 parliamentary seats, while Mr. Embaló’s Madem-G15 party obtained 29 seats. As the results were announced, a jubilant crowd gathered outside the PAIGC’s headquarters in the capital city of Bissau. Reports from the AFP news agency indicate that people expressed their happiness by banging saucepans.
Over the years, Guinea-Bissau has experienced political instability, marked by frequent bouts of turmoil, coups, and coup plots. Additionally, the country has served as a significant transit point for the illicit drug trade originating from Latin America.
Mr. Embaló, whose party split from the PAIGC, secured victory in the presidential elections held in December 2019 and survived a coup attempt last year.
