Recent political developments in Guinea have sparked outrage and frustration among various opposition groups following the military junta’s announcement that the transition to a democratic regime would extend beyond the end of the current year.
The ruling authority’s spokesperson justified the extension by saying that the conditions required to end the transition period had not yet been met. Since the September 2021 coup, the junta’s guarantees in negotiations with ECOWAS included a return to elections and civilian government within two years.
Last July, a draft of a new constitution was presented to citizens, including a strict limitation to two five-year presidential terms, while leaving the current military leader, Mamady Doumbouya, the possibility of participating in the next presidential election.
However, the referendum announced to ratify this document and allow a return to a constitutional regime has still not been organized, and no concrete initiative for holding an election has been undertaken by the junta.
The Forces Vives, bringing together members of the Guinean opposition, civil society organizations and activists, have declared that they will no longer recognize the legitimacy of the transitional authority after December 31. Faced with this situation, the organization has launched an appeal for the mobilization of the Guinean diaspora in Europe to participate in a demonstration in Paris on December 28, to demand the departure of the junta from power.
This mobilization reflects the discontent and urgency felt by Guineans in the face of the delay in the democratic transition process. Through this event, opponents of the current regime express their determination to defend democratic principles and demand compliance with the commitments made to the international community.
The pressure exerted by civil society and the opposition for the junta to meet its deadlines and commitments demonstrates the will of the Guinean people to see a true democracy emerge in their country. The coming weeks will be decisive for the political future of Guinea, and the mobilization of everyone, on the ground or abroad, is essential to make the voice of the people heard and demand concrete and peaceful change.