# Politics of Somalia: how power is shared (Siyaasadda Soomaaliya)

> How politics works in Somalia: the federal system, clan power-sharing, political parties from the Somali Youth League to the Justice and Solidarity Party, the opposition Somali Future Council, and relations with the member states.

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/institutions/politics-of-somalia/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## The system in short

- **The state:** under the 2012 Provisional Constitution, as amended in 2024 and 2026, Somalia is a federal republic.
- **The President:** head of state, chosen by parliament since 2000. The 2024 amendments provided for a direct vote, but the March 2026 amendments returned the choice to parliament ([ConstitutionNet, April 2026](https://constitutionnet.org/news/voices/provisional-permanent-constitution-assessing-end-somalias-constitutional-review-process)). See [Constitution of Somalia](/en/institutions/constitution-of-somalia/). Since the 2024 amendments, the President also appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister.
- **The Prime Minister and cabinet:** they run the government and need the confidence of the House of the People.
- **Parliament:** two houses, which pass laws and the budget.
- **Member states:** each of the federal member states has its own president and assembly.

See [Federal Government of Somalia](/en/institutions/federal-government-of-somalia/), [Federal Parliament](/en/institutions/federal-parliament/) and [Federal member states](/en/states/federal-member-states/).

## Clan power-sharing

Since the Arta conference of 2000, seats in the House of the People have been shared among clans under the "4.5" formula. The Darod, Dir, Hawiye and Rahanweyn ([Digil](/en/society/digil/) and [Mirifle](/en/society/mirifle/)) clan families get 61 seats each, and other communities get 31 ([Rift Valley Institute, 2023](https://riftvalley.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Role-of-4.5-in-democratisation-and-governence-in-Somalia_EN_4.5_WEB.pdf)). The 2024 election laws aim to replace it with party lists chosen by voters. See [Elections in Somalia](/en/institutions/elections-in-somalia/) and [Clans and lineage](/en/society/clans-and-lineage/).

## Political parties before 1991

| Party | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Somali Youth League (SYL) | 1943 to 1969 | The first Somali political organisation; won 69 of 123 seats in 1964 and 73 in 1969 |
| Somali National League (SNL) | before 1960 to 1969 | Northern party; called for a boycott of the 1961 constitutional referendum |
| Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP) | 1976 to 1991 | The only legal party under the military government |
| United Somali Congress (USC) | 1987 to 2000 | One of the armed movements that fought the military government |

Sources: [List of political parties in Somalia, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Somalia); [1964 election, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Somali_parliamentary_election); [1961 referendum, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1961_Somali_constitutional_referendum). The army banned all parties when it took power on 21 October 1969. See [The civilian era, 1960 to 1969](/en/history/civilian-era-1960-1969/) and [The Siad Barre era, 1969 to 1991](/en/history/siad-barre-era-1969-1991/).

## Parties from 2011 to 2024

Parties existed in these years but could not stand in elections, because members of parliament were chosen by clan delegates. Leading figures founded their own parties:

- **[Peace and Development Party](/en/government/union-for-peace-and-development-party/):** [Hassan Sheikh Mohamud](/en/people/hassan-sheikh-mohamud/), 2011.
- **Union for Peace and Development:** Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's later party, under which he won the 2022 vote.
- **Himilo Qaran:** [Sharif Sheikh Ahmed](/en/people/sharif-sheikh-ahmed/).
- **Tayo:** [Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed](/en/people/mohamed-abdullahi-farmaajo/) "Farmaajo".

In October 2019 several opposition parties formed the Forum for National Parties ([List of political parties in Somalia, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_Somalia)).

## Parties under the 2024 laws

The Political Parties law of November 2024 requires parties to register with the National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission ([SONNA, November 2024](https://sonna.so/en/parliament-approves-political-parties-and-unions-federal-government-of-somalia-act/)). The commission certified 43 political organisations between 20 January and 14 May 2025, and 61 by September 2025 ([Dawan Africa, 2025](https://dawan.africa/news/somalias-electoral-commission-registers-18-new-political-parties)). It cleared 20 parties for the Mogadishu council vote and 35 for the [Galmudug](/en/states/galmudug/) and [Hirshabelle](/en/states/hirshabelle/) votes ([Dawan Africa](https://dawan.africa/news/20-political-parties-cleared-for-somalias-banaadir-regional-council-election); [Dawan Africa](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somalia-electoral-body-clears-35-parties-for-hirshabelle-vote)). It reopened party registration on 31 October 2026 for the 2027 elections ([Dawan Africa, October 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somalia-opens-registration-for-political-parties-ahead-of-2027-polls)).

**Justice and Solidarity Party (JSP; Xisbiga Cadaaladda iyo Wadajirka).** President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud launched the party in Mogadishu on 13 May 2025 and was elected its chairman. Prime Minister [Hamza Abdi Barre](/en/people/hamza-abdi-barre/) became deputy chairman ([Garowe Online, May 2025](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/analysis-power-consolidation-somalia-s-hassan-sheikh-launches-party-before-2026-vote); [Goobjoog](https://en.goobjoog.com/fgs-fms-political-heavyweights-take-key-posts-as-president-mohamud-unveils-news-party)). [Puntland](/en/states/puntland/)'s president called it a power grab, and former Prime Minister [Hassan Ali Khaire](/en/people/hassan-ali-khaire/) warned it could destabilise the country ([Garowe Online](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/puntland-calls-somali-president-s-new-political-party-a-power-grab-and-a-threat-to-federal-system)). The JSP won the most seats in every direct vote held in 2025 and 2026:

| Vote | JSP share of seats |
|---|---|
| Mogadishu (Banadir) district councils | 177 of 390 |
| South West local councils | 148 of 297 |
| Galmudug assembly (rerun) | 67 of 89 |
| Hirshabelle assembly | 78 of 99 |

The details are on [Elections in Somalia](/en/institutions/elections-in-somalia/).

**Other parties that have won seats:**

- **Mogadishu:** Towfiiq and Ramaas.
- **South West:** Horumar iyo Midnimo Qaran and Karaama.
- **Hirshabelle:** KAAMA, Iftin Qaran, SINAAD and MADALSAN.

Towfiiq rejected the first Galmudug results and was later left off the list of parties for the rerun ([Dawan Africa](https://www.dawan.africa/news/towfiiq-excluded-from-parties-contesting-galmudug-election-rerun)).

## The opposition: Somali Future Council

The Somali Future Council was formed in Nairobi on 2 October 2025. It was set up by the presidents of [Jubaland](/en/states/jubaland/) (Ahmed Mohamed Islam "Madobe") and Puntland ([Said Abdullahi Deni](/en/people/said-abdullahi-deni/)) and the Somali Salvation Forum opposition coalition ([Garowe Online, October 2025](https://garoweonline.com/en/news/somalia/somali-opposition-leaders-announce-new-coalition-to-guide-political-transition); [Somali Future Council, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Future_Council)). Its members include:

- former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed;
- former Prime Ministers Hassan Ali Khaire, [Mohamed Hussein Roble](/en/people/mohamed-hussein-roble/) and [Abdi Farah Shirdon](/en/people/abdi-farah-shirdon/);
- MP Abdirahman Abdishakur.

The council rejects the March 2026 constitutional amendments and the one-year term extension. It has proposed a transitional council to oversee constitutional and electoral reform ([Africa at LSE, May 2026](https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2026/05/13/somalia-is-about-to-enter-a-constitutional-crisis/)). Its talks with the federal government in Mogadishu on 13 to 15 May 2026, and again in August, ended without agreement ([Somali Future Council, Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Future_Council)). In later talks it joined Nabad iyo Nolol and the National Unity Council in putting a one-person-one-vote model to international partners ([Dawan Africa, October 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somalia-sets-presidential-vote-for-15-may-2027)).

In early November 2026, five judges of the Supreme Court's Constitutional Division ruled that the terms of the President, parliament and federal government had ended, and asked political leaders to agree an electoral model within 30 days. The Attorney General's office said the ruling had no legal effect because the Chief Justice had not chaired the panel; opposition groups backed it. Ibrahim Idle Suleiman was sworn in as Chief Justice on 7 November 2026 ([Dawan Africa, November 2026](https://www.dawan.africa/news/somalia-swears-in-new-supreme-court-chief-amid-dispute-over-governments-term)). See [Somalia's courts](/en/institutions/courts-and-judiciary/).

## The federal government and the member states

Relations between Mogadishu and some member states have broken down several times:

- **Puntland:** has withdrawn recognition of the federal government.
- **Puntland and Jubaland together:** both rejected the March 2026 amendments ([Africa at LSE, May 2026](https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2026/05/13/somalia-is-about-to-enter-a-constitutional-crisis/)).
- **South West:** suspended ties in early 2026 (same source). It then held direct elections, and in June 2026 its assembly elected Aden Mohamed Nur "Madobe", the Speaker of the House of the People, as state president ([Geeska](https://www.geeska.com/en/madobes-election-south-west-state-fuels-somalias-wider-electoral-crisis)).
- **Galmudug and Hirshabelle:** both held direct assembly elections in 2026.
- **North East State:** formed in August 2025, it is the newest member state; see [North Eastern State](/en/states/north-eastern-state/).

See [Institutions of the member states](/en/institutions/member-state-institutions/) and [Puntland's institutions](/en/institutions/puntland-institutions/).

Somaliland declared independence in 1991 and runs its own government and elections. Israel recognised it on 26 December 2025; most states and the African Union regard it as part of Somalia. See [Elections in Somaliland](/en/institutions/elections-in-somaliland/).

Al-Shabaab, an armed group fighting the federal government, holds or contests parts of the south and centre. See [Al-Shabaab: structure and leaders](/en/institutions/al-shabaab-structure-and-leaders/).

## Its legal basis

The 2012 Provisional Constitution, as amended on 30 March 2024 and 4 March 2026; the 2024 National Electoral Law and Political Parties law; the constitutions of the member states.

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