Guinea-Bissau: Opposition candidate wins presidential election February 4 /update 3

Event

Guinea-Bissau's National Electoral Commission (NEC) declared opposition candidate Umaro Cissoko Embalo winner of the presidential run-off on Tuesday, February 4. According to the NEC, Embalo secured 53.55 percent of the vote in the first round on Sunday, December 29, while his rival, Domingos Simoes Pereira, won 46.45 percent. Following the NEC announcement, Pereira condemned the Electoral Commission's lack of transparency while claiming the runoff was marked by electoral fraud.

Further extension of court proceedings remains possible.

Related protests are possible over the near term.

Context

This second-round verification was requested by the Supreme Court following Pereira's appeals, and as advised by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) following the tensions of the election-results in early January.

Guinea-Bissau has experienced a period of political uncertainty since August 2015, when President José Mario Vaz dismissed then-Prime Minister Pereira, leader of the president's own party, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC). President Vaz has suffered increasing unpopularity and only received 12 percent of the vote during the first round of the presidential election on November 24.

Guinea-Bissau has struggled with government stability, facing multiple attempted coups, since gaining independence from Portugal in 1973.

Advice

Individuals in Guinea-Bissau are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all protests and demonstrations as a precaution, and adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities.