Somalia: President, 8 January 2017

At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Somalia

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Mohamed Abdullahi MOHAMED*
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Hassan Ali KHAIRE 
• Assembly: Somalia has a bicameral Federal Parliament (Golaha Shacabka Soomaaliya) consisting of the Upper House of the Federal Parliament with 54 seats and the House of the People with 275 seats.

* Current President Mohamed Abdullahi MOHAMED was elected in this election

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by parliament in a two-round election. If no candidate gets a 2/3 majority (219 votes) during the first round, the election goes to a second round, with the top four candidates proceeding.
• Prime Minister is elected by the president with the approval of the parliament.
• In the Upper House of the Federal Parliament 54 members are elected by regional governing councils to serve 4-year terms. In the House of the People 275 members are elected by popular vote to serve 4-year terms.*

* The inaugural House of the People was appointed in September 2012 by clan elders. The first elections were held in 2016.

Candidates in this presidential race:*

• Mohamed Abdullahi MOHAMED
  • ​Party: Tayo Party / Xisbiga Siyaasadda ee Tayo (TPP)
• Hassan Sheikh MOHAMUD
  • ​Party: Peace and Development Party / Xisbiga Nabadda Iyo Horumarka (PDP)
• Sharif Sheikh AHMED
  • ​Party: Independent

* There were 22 total candidates in this election. Four of the 22 made the second round. Omar Abdirashid Ali SHARMARKE made it to the second round but dropped out, leaving three candidates.

Population and Registered Voters:

• Population: 11,031,386 (2017 est)

• Registered Voters: 

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 5371696 (2016)

·         Is Somalia a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Somalia atified CEDAW: No

·         Gender Quota: 

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 

·         Human Development Index Position: Not Ranked (2016)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Somalia  signatory to CRPD: No

·         Has Somalia atified CRPD: No

·         Population with a disability: