Residents of the Somali capital are voting in municipal elections on Thursday. The vote is a key test for restoring universal suffrage across the country, which has used an indirect clan-based electoral system since 2004 and hasn’t had direct elections since the 1969 coup.
The election reportedly is proceeding under heavy security, with approximately 10,000 personnel deployed.
A recent political deal enforces parliamentary members will be directly elected in 2026, but the president will still be chosen by parliament.
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