Editing Politics of Guinea-Bissau (section)

== Political developments ==
[[File:Palácio da República (fundos).jpg|thumb|300px|Guinea-Bissau's [[Presidential Palace, Bissau|Presidential Palace]] in the capital [[Bissau]].]]
In 1989, the ruling [[African Independence Party of Guinea and Cape Verde]] (PAIGC), under the direction of President [[João Bernardo Vieira|João Bernardo "Nino" Vieira]], began to outline a political liberalization program which the [[People's National Assembly of Guinea-Bissau|People's National Assembly]] approved in 1991. Reforms that paved the way for multi-party democracy included the repeal of articles of the constitution, which had enshrined the leading role of the PAIGC. Laws were ratified to allow the formation of other political parties, a free press, and independent trade unions with the right to strike.

Guinea-Bissau's first [[multi-party system|multi-party]] [[election]]s for president and [[Parliament of Guinea-Bissau|parliament]] were held in 1994.  Following the [[Guinea-Bissau Civil War|1998-99 civil war]], presidential and legislative elections were again held, bringing opposition leader [[Kumba Ialá]] and his [[Party for Social Renewal]] to power.  Ialá was ousted in a [[bloodless coup]] in September 2003, and [[Henrique Rosa]] was sworn in as president.

Former president Viera was once again elected as president in July 2005.  The government of Prime Minister [[Carlos Gomes Júnior]] was elected in March 2004 in a free and fair election, but was replaced by the government of Prime Minister [[Aristides Gomes]], which took office in November 2005. Gomes lost a [[no-confidence vote]] and submitted his resignation in March 2007.

[[Martinho Ndafa Kabi]] was then nominated as prime minister by a coalition composed of the PAIGC, the Social Renewal Party (PRS), and the United Social Democratic Party (PUSD). On April 9, 2007, it was announced that President João Bernardo Vieira had rejected the choice of Kabi, but the coalition said that they maintained him as their choice. Later that day, Vieira appointed Kabi as the new prime minister. Kabi took office on April 13, and his government, composed of 20 ministers (including eight from the PAIGC, eight from the PRS, and two from the PUSD) was named on April 17.

===2009 assassination===
President Viera was killed on March 2, 2009, by soldiers as retaliation for the killing of the head of the joint chiefs of staff, General [[Tagme Na Waie]], who was murdered the previous day.

===2010 military unrest===
{{main|2010 Guinea-Bissau military unrest}}
Prior to the [[Guinea-Bissau legislative election, 2008#Chronology|2008 election]], a decision to change the electoral date and extend the parliamentary mandate resulted in major controversy when Assembly deputies snubbed the president and chose to extend their mandate. After the Supreme Court annulled that law, President Vieira dissolved the Assembly, thus allowing the standing committee to continue working, and appointed a new government composed of loyalists.

[[Rear Admiral]] [[Bubo Na Tchuto]] tried to organize a coup on August 7, 2008, but the attempt was put down. Na Tchuto managed to escape the country. The attempted coup added to instability ahead of parliamentary elections. Gambia subsequently arrested Na Tchuto.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.zimbio.com/President+Joao+Bernardo+Vieira/articles/9/Rear+Admiral+Jose+Americo+Bubo+Na+Tchuto+alleged |title=Rear-Admiral Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto, alleged leader of the coup plot foiled in Guinea Bissau on 6th of August arrested - President Joao Bernardo Vieira - Zimbio |access-date=2010-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003232001/http://www.zimbio.com/President+Joao+Bernardo+Vieira/articles/9/Rear+Admiral+Jose+Americo+Bubo+Na+Tchuto+alleged |archive-date=2012-10-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He later returned to Guinea-Bissau disguised as a fisherman, and took refuge at a UN compound. Although the UN agreed to surrender him to the government, Na Tchuto continued to reside in the compound. As a result of his return, security in the country was tightened, contributing to uncertainty and instability.

On April 1, 2010, soldiers entered UN offices and arrested Na Tchuto. The same day, more soldiers entered Prime Minister [[Carlos Gomes Júnior]]'s residence and detained him on the premises. Simultaneously, forty military officers, including [[Zamora Induta]], head of [[Armed Forces of Guinea-Bissau|Guinea-Bissau's armed forces]], were confined at an army base. Hundreds of the PM's supporters demanded his release. In response, the deputy army chief, [[Antonio Indjai]], said: "If the people continue to go out into the streets to show their support for Carlos Gomes Junior, then I will kill Carlos Gomes Junior ... or I will send someone to kill him."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2010/04/20104112510170361.html|title=Guinea-Bissau PM detained|website=Aljazeera.com|access-date=10 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/04/02/Guinear.Bissau.democracy/ | work=CNN | title=Leaders call on Guinea-Bissau to maintain democracy | date=2 April 2010}}</ref>

The following day, the prime minister was taken to meet with the president where the president said: "I will not resign because I was democratically elected. I consider what happened on Thursday as an incident. The situation is now stable. I can assure you that institutions will return to their normal functions." The [[UN secretary general]] and other international powers condemned the move, while government ministers issued a statement saying "Members of government expressed their support and their attachment to the prime minister, and firmly condemned the use of force as a means to resolve problems." Tensions seemingly calmed, with President Sanha saying the coup attempt was "a confusion between soldiers that reached the government", and the UN Secretary General spoke about the PM's "detention and subsequent release."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.almanar.com.lb/newsSite/NewsDetails.aspx?id=131974&language=en |title=Al-ManarTV:: Guinea-Bissau's PM Says He Will Not Resign after Mutiny 03/04/2010 |access-date=2010-04-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408082023/http://www.almanar.com.lb/newssite/NewsDetails.aspx?id=131974&language=en |archive-date=2010-04-08 }}</ref> Nevertheless, while members of the cabinet and the international community condemned the attempted coup and talked about the PM's release, reports still indicated that "renegade soldiers" had the prime minister "under guard."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.almanar.com.lb/newsSite/NewsDetails.aspx?id=131884&language=en |title=Al-ManarTV:: Guinea-Bissau Soldiers Keep PM under Guard 02/04/2010 |access-date=2010-04-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408082013/http://www.almanar.com.lb/newssite/NewsDetails.aspx?id=131884&language=en |archive-date=2010-04-08 }}</ref>

===2011 attempted coup===
{{main|2011 Guinea-Bissau coup attempt}}

After Army chief of staff General Antonio Indjai was reported arrested by the orders of navy chief Rear Admiral Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Navy chief held in Guinea-Bissau after alleged coup attempt|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/03/admiral-guinea-bissau-coup-attempt|last=Chatelot|first=Christophe|date=2012-01-03|access-date=2021-10-13}}</ref> his troops freed him as Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Júnior sought [[political asylum]] at the Angolan embassy. Indjai then said that his naval counterpart had been arrested. These events occurred while President Sanha had been in Paris, France for medical care.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lona|first=Armando|title=Guinea-Bissau Lawyers Call for Investigation of Clash|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-12-29/guinea-bissau-lawyers-call-for-investigation-of-clash.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721115220/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-12-29/guinea-bissau-lawyers-call-for-investigation-of-clash.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 21, 2012|access-date=1 January 2012|newspaper=Bloomberg BusinessWeek|date=29 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Embalo|first=Allen Yero|title=Guinea Bissau says coup-plotter executed|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jI9ywKClJ6FL6xkbvPOTBNZ_86kQ?docId=CNG.8c17cba868ccab6ae336e5bb8cb40fa7.5a1|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103065525/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jI9ywKClJ6FL6xkbvPOTBNZ_86kQ?docId=CNG.8c17cba868ccab6ae336e5bb8cb40fa7.5a1|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 3, 2013|access-date=1 January 2012|newspaper=AFP|date=29 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Staff|title=Army foils coup attempt on tiny island of Guinea-Bissau|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/guineabissau/8978482/Army-foils-coup-attempt-on-tiny-island-of-Guinea-Bissau.html|access-date=1 January 2012|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=27 Dec 2011|location=London}}</ref>

===2012 coup===
{{main|2012 Guinea Bissau coup d'état}}
On 12 April 2012, the military [[2012 Guinea Bissau coup d'état|took over]] the central district of the [[Bissau, Guinea-Bissau|capital]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Reports-of-Guinea-Bissau-coup-20120412|title=Reports of Guinea Bissau coup|date=April 12, 2012|website=News24.com|access-date=10 August 2019}}</ref> On 16 April, military leaders and a coalition of political parties announced the formation of a Transitional National Council,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/16/world/africa/guinea-bissau-coup/ | work=CNN | title=Guinea-Bissau military leaders, political parties announce transitional council | date=16 April 2012}}</ref> under international pressure.

=== 2019 disputed election ===
{{Main|2019 Guinea-Bissau presidential election}}
Presidential elections were held in [[Guinea-Bissau]] on 24 November 2019.

In the first round of voting, [[Domingos Simões Pereira]] led the field, with 40.13% of the vote. Incumbent president [[José Mário Vaz]] finished fourth in the first round of voting, failing to progress to the runoff.<ref>{{Cite web|last=AfricaNews|date=2019-06-19|title=Guinea Bissau presidential election to be held on November 24|url=https://www.africanews.com/2019/06/19/guinea-bissau-presidential-election-to-be-held-on-november-24/|access-date=2021-02-11|website=Africanews|language=en}}</ref> According to the preliminary and final results published by the national commission of elections, [[Umaro Sissoco Embaló]] won the runoff vote against Simões Pereira, 54% to 46%. Simões Pereira continues to dispute the results.<ref>{{Cite web|last=AfricaNews|date=2020-02-05|title=Guinea Bissau ex-PM Embalo declared winner of runoff|url=https://www.africanews.com/2020/02/05/g-bissau-ex-pm-embalo-wins-poll-round-2/|access-date=2021-02-11|website=Africanews|language=en}}</ref> Although neither the supreme court of Guinea-Bissau nor the parliament had given its approval for the official swearing-in ceremony, Sissoco Embaló had organized an alternative swearing-in ceremony in a hotel in Bissau to announce himself as legal president of Guinea-Bissau.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Umaro Sissoco Embalo swears himself in as Guinea-Bissau president|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/world/africa/2020-02-27-umaro-sissoco-embalo-swears-himself-in-as-guinea-bissau-president/|access-date=2021-02-11|website=BusinessLIVE|language=en-ZA}}</ref> Several politicians in Guinea-Bissau, including prime minister [[Aristides Gomes]], accused Sissoco Embaló of arranging a [[coup d'état]], although outgoing president Mário Vaz stepped down to allow Embaló to take power.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Welle (www.dw.com)|first=Deutsche|title=Em meio a contencioso judicial, Sissoco toma "posse simbólica" como Presidente da Guiné-Bissau {{!}} DW {{!}} 27.02.2020|url=https://www.dw.com/pt-002/em-meio-a-contencioso-judicial-sissoco-toma-posse-simb%C3%B3lica-como-presidente-da-guin%C3%A9-bissau/a-52560557|access-date=2021-02-11|website=DW.COM}}</ref>

José Mário Vaz was the President of Guinea-Bissau from 2014 until the 2019 presidential elections. For two decades José Mário Vaz was the first elected president who finished his five-year mandate. Umaro Sissoco Embaló was the winner of the election and he took office in February 2020. However he faced a last-minute stand-off with parliament before taking office. Embaló is the first president to be elected without the backing of the PAIGC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/guinea-bissaus-leader-concedes-election-defeat/1658683|title = Guinea-Bissau's leader concedes election defeat}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13443186|title = Guinea-Bissau country profile|work = BBC News|date = 2 March 2020}}</ref> On 11 September 2024, President Umaro Sissoco Embaló announced that he would not seek a second term in the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for November 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title="Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló Declines Second Term Amid Political Uncertainty" |url=https://www.africanews.com/2024/09/13/guinea-bissau-president-umaro-sissoco-embalo-declines-second-term-amid-political-uncertain/ |website=africanews.com/ |access-date=13 September 2024}}</ref>