In a vote widely anticipated to extend his grip on power, Guinea’s military leader Colonel Mamady Doumbouya has been declared the winner of the December 28, 2025, presidential election, capturing an overwhelming 86.72% of the vote in the first round, according to provisional results announced by the General Directorate of Elections (DGE) on December 30. The 41-year-old former special forces commander, who seized power in a 2021 coup, avoided a runoff and is set to embark on a seven-year term, marking a formal transition from military junta to elected civilian presidency—albeit one steeped in accusations of democratic backsliding.
Doumbouya faced eight lesser-known challengers after prominent opposition figures were effectively sidelined. Abdoulaye Yero Baldé of the Democratic Front of Guinea trailed far behind with approximately 6.6%, while Faya Lansana Millimono of the Liberal Bloc garnered around 2%. Official turnout was reported at 80.95%, a figure disputed by critics who pointed to muted participation in opposition strongholds like parts of the capital, Conakry.
The election caps a tumultuous four-year transition period that began when Doumbouya led elite forces to oust President Alpha Condé in September 2021, citing corruption and constitutional overreach by the aging leader—who had controversially sought a third term. Initially hailed by many Guineans weary of Condé’s rule, Doumbouya pledged a swift return to civilian governance by 2024 and vowed that neither he nor junta members would contest elections. However, a September 2025 constitutional referendum—approved amid similar boycott calls—removed that prohibition, extended presidential terms from five to seven years (renewable once), and imposed residency and age requirements that barred key rivals.
Guinea votes in presidential election expected to cement …
Exiled opposition heavyweight Cellou Dalein Diallo, a former prime minister, was disqualified due to his residence abroad. Condé himself, along with another ex-prime minister Sidya Touré, exceeded the new 80-year age limit. Civil society groups, including the National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC), decried the poll as an “electoral charade,” claiming widespread boycotts rendered the high turnout implausible.
Candidates who did run leveled serious allegations. Baldé cited “ballot stuffing” and denied access to counting centers for his observers, while Millimono accused authorities of “electoral banditry” and voter intimidation. The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Türk, described the campaign as “severely restricted,” highlighting intimidation, enforced disappearances, media curbs, and protest bans. Social media restrictions on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube were reported during result announcements, further fueling suspicions.
Supporters credit Doumbouya with stabilizing the country, advancing the long-delayed Simandou iron ore megaproject—one of the world’s largest untapped deposits—and asserting greater state control over mining revenues in a nation holding the planet’s biggest bauxite reserves. His youth and resource nationalism resonate with Guinea’s young population, where the median age is under 20. Yet critics warn of eroding freedoms and a pattern echoing recent coups in the Sahel, where military rulers have clung to power.
As Doumbouya prepares for inauguration, the Supreme Court has eight days to validate results amid potential challenges. The vote underscores broader regional trends: democratic erosion in West Africa, where economic promises often trump governance concerns in mineral-rich but impoverished states.
