Somalia announces presidential vote for May next year and parliamentary polls in April

Somalia's electoral commission confirmed that a presidential election will take place in May of the next year, while elections for the lower and upper houses of parliament are planned for April. Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan, the commission's chair, delivered the announcement on the state broadcaster. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term, which was set to end in May of this year, was extended by a year following a constitutional change approved by lawmakers in March, a move that drew opposition backlash.

The administration remains engaged in a two-decade struggle against the al Shabaab militant group, which, despite being pushed back by the army and African Union peacekeepers, still holds extensive countryside territory and can launch attacks on major cities. The upcoming elections are seen as a test of the government's ability to maintain stability amid ongoing security challenges.