In light of the recent events in Guinea-Bissau, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo has dissolved the country’s parliament. This decision was announced following an attempted coup in the West African nation, which led to violent clashes between the National Guard and the special forces of the Presidential Guard in the capital city, Bissau. These clashes resulted in the deaths of two individuals before the army intervened to restore order.
President Embalo, who has been in power since 2019 and survived an earlier coup attempt in February 2022, cited “complicity” between the National Guard and certain political interests within the state apparatus as a reason for his decision. He asserted that this complicity had rendered the normal functioning of the Republic’s institutions impossible. The President emphasized the need for early parliamentary elections, scheduled for December 18, 2023, to address the ongoing political crisis. He expressed his intention to return the decision-making power to the citizens of Guinea-Bissau, allowing them to freely choose their representatives in parliament.
Guinea-Bissau Parliament
Guinea-Bissau has a history of political instability and turmoil, with multiple coups and coup attempts since its independence from Portugal in 1974. The current situation is seen as an extension of the deep political fractures within the state, particularly between the presidency and the government. This tension has also been evident in the security forces, with the National Guard primarily reporting to the Ministry of the Interior and, by extension, to the government.
In his statement, President Embalo accused the National People’s Assembly of protecting deputies suspected of corruption, harmful administration, and embezzlement under the guise of parliamentary immunity. He highlighted persistent and insurmountable differences between the National Assembly and other branches of the government, which he claimed justified the dissolution of the parliament.
The President’s decision follows the dismissal of his economy minister last week and the temporary transfer of the minister’s portfolio to the Prime Minister, further underscoring the nation’s ongoing political crisis. The situation in Guinea-Bissau remains complex and fluid, with the upcoming legislative elections expected to be a crucial step in resolving the current impasse​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​.
