Highlights: In Guinea Bissau, the opposition won the legislative elections on Sunday 4 June. The President of Guinea-Bissau accepted these results, although he had adopted a fairly firm position during the campaign. The PAI-Terra Ranka coalition, led by the PAIGC, won 54 seats, while the president's party, MADEM-G15, had to settle for 29 deputies. President Embalo is setting an example in the sub-region and hopes to have the support of his West African peers to renew his mandate.

In Guinea Bissau, the opposition won the legislative elections on Sunday 4 June. The President of Guinea-Bissau accepted these results, although he had adopted a fairly firm position during...

Towards cohabitation in Guinea-Bissau?

In Guinea Bissau, the opposition won the legislative elections on Sunday 4 June. The Guinea-Bissau president accepted these results, although he had taken a fairly firm stance during the campaign saying that he would not appoint his main rival as prime minister if the PAIGC won. We are therefore moving towards a cohabitation, in which the PAIGC will have the post of Prime Minister.

Audio 00:50

Guinea-Bissau: The PAIGC easily won the legislative elections of 4 June, forcing President Embalo to set up a government of cohabitation. AP - Darcicio Barbosa

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In Guinea Bissau, the PAI-Terra Ranka coalition, led by the PAIGC, won 54 seats, while the president's party, MADEM-G15, had to settle for 29 deputies.

One day you lose, one day you win, it's the game of democracy " admits President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. By respecting the law, the president is setting an example in the sub-region and hopes to have the support of his West African peers to renew his mandate at the head of ECOWAS on July 9, at a summit in Bissau.

In addition, the strong presence of international observers undoubtedly has a positive impact on the reactions of the political class: the CPLP, La Francophonie, the African Union and ECOWAS met with the president and key players in political life in Bissau, with a clear message: accept the verdict of the ballot box to avoid yet another post-electoral crisis. Former Cape Verdean President Jorge Fonseca and former President of Mozambique Joachim Chissano met with President Embalo. And with one voice, in their final declaration last Tuesday, they both encouraged the political class to respect the "choice of the people"... and to use legal avenues of appeal, in case of dispute of the results.

>> READ ALSO: Legislative elections in Guinea-Bissau: absolute majority for the opposition, according to provisional results

How to explain this victory of the historic party?

For Humberto Monteiro, journalist and analyst, interviewed by our special envoy in Bissau, Bineta Diagne, this vote marks a sanction of citizens against the latest actions carried out by the regime of President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. Parliament was dissolved in May 2022, at the initiative of the president, following a deep political crisis.

« The Guinean people always stand in solidarity with the victims. The government has turned Domingos Simões Pereira [former Prime Minister and president of the PAIGC, editor's note] into a victim, especially with the issue of the ban on the entry of campaign material and other situations of travel ban. People have shown solidarity with the victims of power.

The other thing is that PAIGC is a sixty-first year old party, with deep roots all over the country, so they started working early. And then (there's) the issue of the cashew campaign, and the promises they made and didn't keep. Here in Bissau, even now, there are people who exchange a bag of rice for two of cashew nuts, so it is a net prejudice for the producers and it is reflected in the results. »

Towards cohabitation in Guinea-Bissau?

Towards cohabitation in Guinea-Bissau?

How to explain this victory of the historic party?

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