In what is seen as a major blow to the government, Guinea-Bissau‘s opposition coalition has won majority seats parliament following last Sunday’s legislative elections.
The PAI Terra Ranka coalition, led by the former ruling PAIGC party, won 54 of 102 seats, the electoral commission said on Thursday.
Madem G15, the party of President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who dissolved parliament in May last year amid accusations of corruption, won 28 seats.
More than 20 political parties and coalitions contested for seats in the election.
The election results will now mean parliament resumes after a 13-month absence. It however limits Embalo’s hopes for constitutional reform.
He was hoping for the constitutional reforms to consolidate power by ridding the country of its semi-presidential system.
The PAIGC party is however against such a change.
Mr Embaló – whose party broke away from the PAIGC – won presidential elections in December 2019 and last year survived a coup attempt.
Under the current political system, the majority party or coalition appoints the government, but the president has the power to dismiss it in certain circumstances.
Guinea-Bissau endured at least 10 coups or attempted coups since it gained independence from Portugal in 1974.
Source: Africafeeds.com
