2026 Djiboutian presidential election
By April 2026
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Africa portal Politics portal |
Presidential elections will be held in Djibouti by April 2026. While term limits have been scrapped in 2010 following a constitutional reform, incumbent president Ismaïl Omar Guelleh who won a fifth term in 2021, has been president since 1999. Originally ineligible for a sixth term due to the age limit of 75 that Guelleh imposed as part of the reforms, Djibouti passed a constitutional amendment in 2025 that lifted age limits, allowing him to run again.[1]
Background
Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, president since 1999, was re-elected five times, most recently in 2021.[2] While scrapping term limits in a 2010 constitutional reform, Guelleh also imposed an age limit of 75. Thus, he was term-limited. Despite this, he had expressed interest in running again.[3][4] On October 26, 2025, the Djiboutian parliament passed a bill lifting age limits for the presidency, enabling Guelleh to run for a sixth term.[5] In November 2025, Guelleh officially announced that he would be a candidate.
References
- ^ rédaction, La (2025-11-04). "Djibouti : Lawmakers Remove the 75-Year Age Limit for Presidential Candidates". Africa24 TV (in French). Retrieved 2025-11-07.
- ^ "Veteran ruler Guelleh re-elected Djibouti leader for fifth term". Al Jazeera. 10 April 2021.
- ^ "2026 election: Djibouti president leaves door open to sixth term". Arab News. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "Ismaïl Omar Guelleh : « J'aime trop Djibouti pour l'embarquer dans une aventure irresponsable »". Jeune Africa (in French). Retrieved 4 July 2025.
- ^ "KUNA : Djibouti approves constitutional amendment allowing new term for President Guelleh - Politics - 26/10/2025". www.kuna.net.kw. Retrieved 2025-11-07.