Somaliland's institutions: president, parliament, Guurti, courts and central bank

Where it stands

On 18 May 1991 a conference in Burao declared the Republic of Somaliland in the north-west. Since then Somaliland has built and paid for its own government. Israel recognised it on 26 December 2025. The federal government of Somalia, the African Union and most states regard it as part of Somalia (UN Press, December 2025). This page describes its institutions as they work today. For the history and both positions, see Somalia and Somaliland, 1991 to 2026.

The constitution

Somaliland's first founding document was the National Charter, agreed at the Boorama conference of 1993. The constitution was adopted by both houses on 30 April 2000 and approved in a referendum on 31 May 2001, with 97 percent in favour. It has 130 articles (Constitution of Somaliland, Wikipedia; Participedia). It combines elected bodies with a house of traditional elders.

The President and cabinet

The President is chosen by direct popular ballot for five years and leads the government, with a Vice President and a cabinet of about 23 ministries (Politics of Somaliland, Wikipedia). In November 2024 the opposition candidate Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro) won, and power passed peacefully from the previous President, Muse Bihi Abdi (Al Jazeera, 19 November 2024).

The House of Representatives (Golaha Wakiilada)

• Size and term: 82 members, chosen for five years in six regional constituencies by party list (House of Representatives of Somaliland, Wikipedia).
• Powers: it passes laws and can approve, reject or amend the annual budget. It also checks the yearly spending reports the government must prepare (same source).
• Recent sittings: members were chosen in 2005 and again on 31 May 2021. After the 2021 ballot, Waddani held 31 seats, Kulmiye 30 and UCID 21 (same source). Yasin Haji Mohamoud has been Speaker since July 2023.
• Term extension: in April 2026 the Guurti extended the terms of the House and of district councils by 27 months, from 7 July 2026 to 7 October 2028 (Dawan Africa, April 2026).

The House of Elders (Golaha Guurtida)

The Guurti is the upper house. It has 82 members who represent traditional leaders, and was given its role as peacemaker and upper house at the Boorama conference in 1993 (House of Elders of Somaliland, Wikipedia). It reviews laws passed by the lower house. The lower house can override a Guurti rejection with a two-thirds majority. The Guurti has also decided several times to extend the terms of the President and the lower house when ballots were delayed (same source). Its six-year term has been extended since 1993 rather than renewed by a new selection. Sources differ on who chairs it in 2026: Wikipedia lists Muse Haji Abdi Duale as chairman since 12 July 2026 (House of Elders of Somaliland, Wikipedia), while Dawan Africa reports Saleban Mahmoud Adan presiding over its sessions in 2026 (Dawan Africa, April 2026).

The courts

Somaliland has five levels of courts: the Supreme Court, the regional appeal courts, the regional courts, the district courts and the courts of the armed forces. The Supreme Court has a chief judge and at least four other judges. It is the final court of appeal, rules on disputes over ballots, acts as the constitutional court and tries ministers who are impeached (Judiciary of Somaliland, Wikipedia). Judges apply a mix of sharia, laws from before 1969 and the British period, and xeer customary law (same source). The Supreme Court confirmed the result of the 2003 presidential ballot (Parliament of Somaliland, Wikipedia).

The Bank of Somaliland

The Bank of Somaliland was set up on 1 October 1994 in Hargeisa and has 16 branches. It acts as central bank and also as a commercial bank. It issues the Somaliland shilling, and its legal aims are steady prices and exchange rates, credit that supports growth, and support for government economic policy (Bank of Somaliland, Wikipedia). Abdinasir Ahmed Hersi has been Governor since January 2025 (same source). See also Banks in Somalia.

The National Electoral Commission

Somaliland's National Electoral Commission, set up in 2001 and chaired by Muse Hassan Yusuf since September 2022, runs its presidential, parliamentary and local council ballots. Only three national parties may stand at a time. Parties qualify through the local council ballot, and need at least 20 percent of the votes in four of the six regions, a rule meant to stop parties forming around one community (Politics of Somaliland, Wikipedia; National Electoral Commission (Somaliland), Wikipedia).

Regions and local councils

Somaliland counts six regions in its constitution: Awdal, Maroodi Jeex, Sahil, Togdheer, Sanaag and Sool. Each has district councils chosen at local council ballots, first held in 2002 (Parliament of Somaliland, Wikipedia). Since 2023, communities in Las Anod and much of Sool have joined the federation as North Eastern State instead (Somalia and Somaliland, 1991 to 2026).

How to use them

• Papers and ID: Somaliland issues its own birth records, ID cards and passports in Hargeisa and the regional towns. See Birth records.
• Money: banks and money transfer firms in Somaliland are licensed by the Bank of Somaliland, not by the Central Bank in Mogadishu.

Its legal basis

Constitution of the Republic of Somaliland, approved 31 May 2001; the Constitutive Law of the Bank of Somaliland; Somaliland electoral laws.