The government of Guinea dissolved 40 political parties and confiscated their assets, in effect turning the country into a one-party state. The decree comes less than two months after Mamady Doumbouya, Guinea’s junta leader, was inaugurated as president. It is the latest move in his consolidation of power. Since he ousted Alpha Condé, the former president, in a coup in 2021, Mr Doumbouya has violently suppressed civil liberties, banning protests and arresting activists. Breaking an earlier promise to make way for a new civilian government, he won the election in December after barring the main opposition candidates from running. Legislative elections scheduled for May look set to be another rubber-stamping exercise. One opposition leader, who originally supported the coup in 2021, said “direct resistance” was now the only way to challenge the government.
2 Comments
The government of Guinea dissolved 40 political parties and confiscated their assets, in effect turning the country into a one-party state. The decree comes less than two months after Mamady Doumbouya, Guinea’s junta leader, was inaugurated as president. It is the latest move in his consolidation of power. Since he ousted Alpha Condé, the former president, in a coup in 2021, Mr Doumbouya has violently suppressed civil liberties, banning protests and arresting activists. Breaking an earlier promise to make way for a new civilian government, he won the election in December after barring the main opposition candidates from running. Legislative elections scheduled for May look set to be another rubber-stamping exercise. One opposition leader, who originally supported the coup in 2021, said “direct resistance” was now the only way to challenge the government.
Seperately, Madagascar’s President Michael Randrianirina [dismissed](https://link.cfr.org/click/44608918.48681/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvbS9uZXdzL2FydGljbGVzL2MzOXd5d20yOThsbz91dG1fc291cmNlPWRhaWx5YnJpZWYmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9MjAyNjAzMTA/65c42ace8ffb420dbf059cc3B8e504a6b) his prime minister and cabinet yesterday, without specifying a reason. Randrianirina came to power following youth-led anti-government protests last year. In recent days, youth activists had called on him to resign due to dissatisfaction with his administration.
