A breakaway faction of Somalia's main opposition alliance has signed an electoral agreement with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, dealing a significant blow to the broader opposition movement, according to local media reports.

The group, which included former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, former parliamentary speakers Mohamed Mursal and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, and veteran diplomat Dahir Mohamud Gelle, broke away from the powerful Salvation Forum over the weekend, according to the Somali Guardian.

In a joint communique issued after the latest round of talks in Mogadishu on Monday, both sides agreed to a revised electoral framework that would bring the country closer to a one-person, one-vote system.

According to the agreement, federal lawmakers will be elected by popular vote and, in turn, will elect the president, marking a partial departure from Somalia's traditional indirect electoral model, in which clan elders select MPs who then vote for the head of state.

Details of agreement

The federal parliament will elect the country's president next year, while state legislative assemblies will elect their respective leaders and deputy leaders.

It said the president will have the authority to appoint the prime minister, subject to approval from the House of People, which will also have the authority to withdraw confidence.

In addition, any organisation with 10% support in parliament will be recognised as a political party.

Somalia's elections will be held in accordance with the Electoral Law of 2024, taking into account the provisions outlined in this communique. The election agreement stated that "agreed-upon urgent steps will be taken to conduct elections for local councils, federal member states, and the Federal Government."

Democratisation process

It also urged all political stakeholders in Somalia to work together to complete the country's democratisation process.

“All parties committed to jointly supporting national security and ongoing efforts to liberate areas still under the control of the Khawaarij,” it said.

Khawaarij is a term used by the Somali government to describe the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group Al-Shabab.

Somalia has not held direct elections since 1967.

Clan-based voting system

The 2022 election was based on Somalia’s 4.5 clan-based system, which allocated equal parliamentary shares to four major clans and a half-share to minority groups.

The clan elders chose members of parliament, who elected the incumbent President Mohamud in May 2022.