Puntland State Urges President to Seek Political Deal After Parliament Term Ends

Friday April 17, 2026

Garowe (AX) — Puntland State’s Cabinet has called on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to work toward a broad political settlement on Somalia’s elections, warning that a prolonged standoff could deepen the country’s instability.

The appeal came after a Cabinet session chaired by Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni, during which ministers examined the national political climate following the official expiration of the federal parliament’s four-year mandate on April 14, 2026.

“The Council calls on the President to use the remaining period to reach a comprehensive agreement to hold a mutually acceptable election in the country,” the Cabinet said in a statement.

Puntland State officials voiced alarm over the direction of Somalia’s politics, saying that failure to agree on an inclusive electoral arrangement could reignite tensions and weaken the federal system’s fragile stability.

The regional administration also restated its backing for an election model grounded in broad consensus and national unity.

The warning comes as political pressure builds after parliament’s mandate lapsed and debate intensified over constitutional amendments approved before the term ended. Those changes extend the tenure of federal institutions, including the presidency, from four years to five. The federal government has defended the amendments as a necessary step toward introducing one-person, one-vote elections.

President Mohamud has maintained that universal suffrage remains his administration’s goal and has urged opposition groups to join the process.

Opposition figures, along with several federal member states including Puntland State, say the conditions are not yet in place for nationwide direct elections, pointing to security challenges, limited preparation time and a lack of political consensus. They argue that a negotiated electoral deal is the only practical way to avert a constitutional and political crisis.