Guinea Coup Leader Files to Run After Constitution Change

Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya has officially filed to run in the Dec. 28 presidential election, reversing a previous pledge not to stand after his 2021 coup. A constitution approved in September that allows junta members to run means he could extend his rule by another five to seven years if elected. He submitted his candidacy at the Supreme Court flanked by soldiers and special forces, drew large pro‑Doumbouya crowds outside, and made no public statement. Major opposition figures and parties remain excluded or in exile, and a high candidacy deposit (about 875 million Guinean francs), along with reported media suspensions, internet restrictions and repression of dissent, have raised questions about the vote's credibility. Domestic opponents and international observers say the process appears tilted in the junta's favour.