Guinea’s military leader Mamady Doumbouya has clinched a definitive victory in the nation’s presidential election, according to official provisional results announced by election authorities. Djenabou Toure, Director of the General Directorate of Elections, confirmed that Doumbouya achieved an absolute majority in the first round of voting, eliminating the need for a runoff election.
The electoral contest featured eight additional candidates, with Abdoulaye Balde of the Democratic Front of Guinea party emerging as the distant runner-up with merely 6.6% of the total vote. Other presidential hopefuls received significantly lower percentages in the final tally.
Approximately 6.7 million registered voters participated in the landmark election, which was conducted under a radically transformed constitutional framework. This new constitution, ratified in a September referendum, introduced sweeping changes to Guinea’s political system. Most notably, it removed previous restrictions barring military officials from seeking elected office and extended the presidential term from five to seven years.
Doumbouya, who seized power through a military coup in September 2021 that ousted then-President Alpha Condé, entered the race as the overwhelming favorite. His transition from military ruler to elected president marks a significant political transformation for the West African nation.
The election occurs against a backdrop of persistent economic challenges. According to World Food Programme data, despite Guinea’s substantial mineral wealth—particularly its extensive bauxite reserves—more than half of the country’s 15 million citizens continue to live below the poverty line, highlighting the economic difficulties facing the incoming administration.