Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Cissoko Embalo has announced that he will not seek re-election in the November elections. Embalo, who has held office since January 2020 after winning with 54% of the vote, will step down at the end of his current term.
This announcement, made on Thursday, has the potential to create a power vacuum and increase political instability in Guinea-Bissau, a nation with a tumultuous history of coups and unrest. Embalo explained that his decision was influenced by his wife’s advice. He did not name a successor and explicitly ruled out prominent opposition figures from consideration.
Embalo, a former army general and ex-prime minister, faced considerable difficulties throughout his presidency. His tenure was marked by two coup attempts, with the most recent occurring in December 2023. This period of unrest led him to dissolve parliament twice, including an earlier dissolution in May 2022, which disrupted his efforts to push through a constitutional amendment designed to consolidate power.
Under Guinea-Bissau’s political system, the president has the authority to dismiss the government, often leading to political deadlock. Additionally, the country remains a significant hub for cocaine trafficking, with recent police operations underscoring its ongoing struggle with drug trafficking issues.
