Somalia to Implement Direct Vote for Officials in 2022.

Somalia will hold direct elections for its president and other officials starting next year, ending a system of indirect voting. The country had initially been scheduled to revert to universal suffrage in 2020 but protracted squabbles among politicians and persisting insecurity across the country forced the government to retain the indirect ballot. The position of prime minister will also be abolished and replaced with a presidential system where the president and vice president are elected directly by the people on a single ticket. Only two political parties will be allowed to compete in the polls.