The move by Guinea’s transitional leader comes days after 89% of voters backed a new constitution in a referendum
Guinea has announced plans to hold its first presidential election in four years after soldiers toppled the West African nation’s civilian government in a 2021 coup, alleging corruption and mismanagement of public funds.
The decision by military leader Mamadi Doumbouya was set out in an official decree read on state broadcaster RTG late Saturday.
“The date of the poll for the presidential election is set for Sunday, December 28, 2025, throughout the entire national territory,” the decree stated.
Chad and Gabon, which had been under military rule, have also in recent years held elections to formally transition back to civilian rule.
General Doumbouya came to power in a coup on September 5, 2021, Guinea’s third since independence from France in 1958. He ousted President Alpha Conde, who became the country’s first democratically elected civilian leader in 2010 and ruled for just over a decade. Conde had secured a controversial third term in 2020 after pushing through constitutional changes that allowed him to extend his stay in power, a move that sparked widespread unrest. Doumbouya accused Conde of “trampling” on people’s rights and leading the country’s economy into a state of “dysfunction.” Soon after assuming leadership, he declared Guinea’s constitution void.
On September 21, 2025, the transitional government held a referendum to adopt a new governmental framework. Last Friday, the Supreme Court validated results showing that more than 89% of voters backed the new constitution. The changes extend the presidential term from five to seven years and lift a ban on military leaders running for office, which could allow Doumbouya to run in December.
The military government had earlier agreed in talks with the regional bloc ECOWAS to return the country to civilian rule within two years, but that pledge went unfulfilled.
Guinea possesses the world’s largest known reserves of bauxite – the ore used to produce aluminum. Since taking control of the former French colony, the authorities have launched sweeping reforms in the mining sector, canceling licenses and revoking concessions. Last month, they revoked the mining license of Emirates Global Aluminium’s local subsidiary, citing non-compliance.
