Guinea-Bissau’s President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló has declared he will not seek reelection in November 2025.
His unexpected decision comes just two months before the vote, heightening political uncertainty in the already volatile West African nation.
Since taking office in 2020, Embaló has experienced a turbulent presidency.
He has withstood two coup attempts, the most recent of which took place in the middle of 2023. With a history of coups and political upheavals, Guinea-Bissau has struggled with political instability ever since obtaining independence from Portugal in 1974.
The president did not give a comprehensive explanation for his decision to step down.
His presidency saw him dissolve the country’s Parliament twice, as he struggled to secure the majority needed to implement key reforms, including a constitutional change aimed at revising Guinea-Bissau’s semi-presidential system.
While Embaló refrained from naming a successor, he ruled out his main political rivals—Domingos Simões Pereira, Nuno Gomes Nabiam, and Braima Camara—saying, “None of them will replace me.”
However, in an interview with state media, Embaló hinted that he might reconsider his decision, leaving the door open to a potential change of heart.
