08 Mar 2019 | 10:37 AM UTC
Guinea-Bissau: Legislative elections on March 10 /update 6
Legislative elections will take place on March 10; heightened security measures likely
Event
The legislative elections are expected to take place on Sunday, March 10. Polling stations across the country will be opened from 07:00 (local time) to 19:00. A total of 21 political parties are running for 102 seats in the National Assembly. The first results are expected to be released on March 12. Localized disruptions and a heightened security presence are expected throughout the country and around polling stations. Political tensions remain high across Guinea-Bissau and electoral-related violence cannot be ruled out.
Context
Guinea-Bissau has experienced a period of political uncertainty since August 2015, when President José Mario Vaz dismissed Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, leader of the president's own African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). Vaz and his government have since suffered increasing unpopularity. Elections previously scheduled for December 2018 but were postponed on December 16, 20198.
Advice
Individuals in Guinea-Bissau are advised to monitor the situation, anticipate public demonstrations and associated disruptions, and avoid all political events as a precaution.
