Djibouti’s parliament has voted unanimously to abolish the presidential age limit, a move widely seen as paving the way for President Ismail Omar Guelleh — in power since 1999 — to seek a sixth term amid mounting instability across the Horn of Africa.
At 77, Guelleh was previously ineligible to run again under a constitutional cap of 75. Sunday’s vote, confirmed by parliamentary speaker Dileita Mohamed Dileita, removes that barrier entirely, giving the veteran leader a potential path to extend his quarter-century rule beyond 2026.
“The National Assembly ratified the removal of the age limit today, so it is official,” Dileita told AFP. He defended the change as a measure to ensure “stability in a troubled region,” citing neighboring Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea — all grappling with internal conflict and shifting alliances.
The amendment, passed without opposition, underscores the tightly controlled nature of Djibouti’s political landscape. Guelleh’s ruling Union for the Presidential Majority dominates parliament, while dissent and independent media remain sharply restricted. In the 2021 election, Guelleh claimed 97 percent of the vote against a largely symbolic challenger.
Despite its small population of just over one million, Djibouti occupies one of the most strategic locations in global trade — the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. The country hosts military bases for global powers including the United States, China, France, Japan, and Italy, all drawn by its access to critical shipping lanes.
Analysts say the constitutional revision not only consolidates Guelleh’s domestic control but also reinforces Djibouti’s image as a geopolitical linchpin whose stability foreign powers are reluctant to jeopardize. Critics, however, warn that the indefinite extension of leadership risks deepening authoritarian governance and stifling prospects for political renewal.
Guelleh succeeded independence leader Hassan Gouled Aptidon in 1999 after serving as his chief of staff for more than two decades. His continued tenure now appears all but assured, as the nation prepares for an election in April 2026 that is unlikely to bring significant change.
