Guinea-Bissau’s military junta has formally scheduled presidential and legislative elections for December 6, 2026, marking the official start of a transition back to constitutional rule after last year’s coup disrupted the democratic process. The date was announced in a presidential decree signed by the transitional leader, General Horta Inta-a, and published on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
The election timetable comes two months after the military seized power following disputed polls in November 2025 and weeks of political uncertainty that left key institutions paralysed. The junta has declared that conditions necessary for organising free, fair and transparent elections will be progressively established ahead of the December vote.
The November 2025 poll was initially intended to renew the president and national legislature, with then-incumbent Umaro Sissoco Embaló seeking a second term. Opposition candidates also competed but the electoral commission was unable to finalise results after armed actors targeted its facilities during the crisis. A transitional charter adopted in December 2025 bars General Inta-a from contesting.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which dispatched a high-level delegation earlier this month to urge a structured and short transitional pathway has pressed for the release of political detainees and inclusive timelines that restore constitutional order. The bloc’s engagement continues amid regional concerns about democratic erosion and security.
Guinea-Bissau has a long history of political instability and military interventions since gaining independence from Portugal. The newly set election date will be critical in determining whether the country can move beyond recurrent coups toward enduring civilian governance.
