With barely four months to Guinea-Bissau’s crucial presidential and legislative elections slated for November 23, 2025, the electoral process faces a major roadblock.
Officials tasked with updating the electoral roll are refusing to release the necessary data to the National Election Commission, citing months of unpaid salaries. Their protest echoes a broader civil service crisis that recently shut down hospitals and schools for a week, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the timely conduct of the polls.
Despite efforts at mediation by Gibril Baldé, head of the Central electoral information agency, the striking workers remain unmoved. Their refusal stems from a deep mistrust, rooted in a similar impasse during the 2018 elections where promises of payment went unfulfilled. The electoral officers now demand direct intervention from President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and the Ministry of Finance before they will resume cooperation. Their stance has left the electoral files incomplete, threatening the integrity and scheduling of the vote.
The crisis adds to political tensions already gripping the nation. The opposition claims President Embalo’s mandate expired in February, labelling him illegitimate and questioning the credibility of any election under his watch. As the electoral calendar teeters on the brink of collapse, the broader concern remains whether Guinea-Bissau can avert a constitutional breakdown and restore public trust in its democratic processes.