Guinea Junta Suspends Key Political Parties Ahead of Referendum

Guinea’s ruling junta has moved to sideline three of the country’s most influential opposition parties, including that of former President Alpha Condé, suspending them for three months just weeks before a controversial constitutional referendum.

The suspension, contained in an order obtained by AFP on Saturday, comes as political parties and civil society groups were mobilising for demonstrations on September 5 to denounce what they describe as a power grab by junta leader General Mamadi Doumbouya.

Among the affected groups are Condé’s Rally of the Guinean People, the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea led by former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, and the Party of Renewal and Progress. According to the order, “These parties have not fulfilled the obligations required of them.”

The junta also announced a delay to the start of campaigning for the referendum, pushing it back by one week to August 31. The vote itself is set for September 21.

General Doumbouya, who seized power in September 2021 after ousting Condé, has faced mounting criticism at home and abroad. His government has banned public demonstrations since 2022, while several opposition figures have been arrested, prosecuted, or forced into exile.

In June, a draft constitution was presented to the junta leader. The text promises a path back to civilian rule but leaves unanswered the critical question of whether Doumbouya himself could contest future presidential elections.

That uncertainty has deepened political tensions in a country long dominated by authoritarian governments. A “transition charter” drafted shortly after the 2021 coup had barred junta leaders, ministers, and heads of institutions from standing in elections. But the adoption of a new constitution could remove that safeguard—opening the door to Doumbouya’s potential candidacy.