The Upper House of Somalia’s Parliament will today debate on the country’s first election bill for the first time in three decades.
The election law which is a significant step towards universal suffrage elections this year was approved by the Lower House late last December. During vote, 171 lawmakers voted in favour of the legislation, 5 rejected and 2 abstained.
The bill was presented by a special review parliamentary committee.
The draft law will become a law if passed by the senate (upper house) and signed by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.
A key step in creating a stable and democratic political system is the registration of political parties, in line with the Political Party Law of the Federal Government of Somalia, which was passed by the Somali Parliament in June 2016.
Somalia last held one-person, one-vote elections in March 1969.
