Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who has been in power since 1999, will run for a sixth term in next year’s election, political sources have confirmed.
The move comes after parliament removed a constitutional barrier that had prevented him from running again, sparking criticism from human rights organizations.
Guelleh, 77, has led the tiny Horn of Africa nation, which hosts military bases for several global powers, including the US, France, China, Japan, and Italy, with an iron fist, winning the last election in 2021 with 97% of the vote.
His re-election is virtually guaranteed, with his coalition holding the majority of parliamentary seats.
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has characterized the elections as “not free”, and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranks Djibouti 168th out of 180 in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, citing government control of the media.
