Voters in Guinea-Bissau headed to the polls on Sunday for presidential and legislative elections, with President Umaro Sissoco Embaló seeking a second term in a region where democratic stability has been increasingly strained. Embaló faces 11 challengers, most prominently Fernando Dias, a political newcomer backed by influential former prime minister Domingos Simões Pereira, though both Pereira and his PAIGC party were barred from the ballot after authorities said they missed the submission deadline. Analysts say the race is expected to be tight, with a candidate needing more than 50 percent of the vote to win outright.
Embaló, a former army general who first took office in 2021, is supported by a broad coalition of more than 20 groups and has pledged to strengthen stability, expand road networks, and improve water access if re-elected. Dias has campaigned on boosting basic services, fostering reconciliation, and ensuring the military remains out of politics. The country’s history of coups, internal rivalries within the armed forces, and the exclusion of the main opposition party have fuelled concerns about potential tensions once results are announced.
A win for Embaló would make him the first leader in nearly 30 years to secure a consecutive term in Guinea-Bissau. About 900,000 registered voters were eligible to choose a new president and 102 members of the National People’s Assembly. Polls closed at 17:00 GMT, with provisional results expected within 48 hours.
