Mamady Doumbouya, Guinea’s junta leader, has been elected president, according to preliminary results from the country’s election commission.
Doumbouya, 41, secured 86.72% of the vote in the first round, well above the threshold for a runoff, with a reported voter turnout of 80.95%.
Doumbouya had initially promised not to run after seizing power in a 2021 coup that toppled Guinea’s first freely elected president, Alpha Conde.
His candidacy became possible after a September 2025 referendum approved a new constitution allowing junta members to stand for office and extended presidential terms from five to seven years, renewable once.
The election saw eight rivals, though key opposition figures—including former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo, were barred from running, prompting some groups to call for a boycott. Doumbouya performed strongly in Conakry and several other regions, often winning more than 80% of votes.
Opposition candidates and civil society groups have raised concerns over the credibility of the results. Abdoulaye Yero Balde alleged irregularities and restricted access for his representatives at vote-counting centres, while Faya Millimono cited electoral intimidation and influence over voters. The National Front for the Defence of the Constitution said many Guineans had boycotted what it called an “electoral charade.”
Since taking power, Doumbouya has tightened control over civil liberties, banning protests and targeting political opponents, some of whom have been jailed, put on trial, or forced into exile.
The election marks Doumbouya’s formal transition from military ruler to constitutional president, amid continuing disputes over electoral transparency and the country’s political future.
AFP