Ismaïl Omar Guelleh Extends Rule With Sixth Term in Djibouti

Guelleh, 78, was able to run again after lawmakers removed the presidential age limit last year. He first took office in 1999 after succeeding Hassan Gouled Aptidon, Djibouti’s first president after independence, and has since remained the dominant figure in the country’s political life.

The result was widely expected in a race that drew little serious competition. Samatar’s party holds no seats in parliament, and opposition groups have often boycotted past elections, arguing that political freedoms are tightly restricted. Election officials said the vote was peaceful, while local media reported turnout at 80.4 percent, with roughly 256,000 registered voters.

Djibouti’s strategic position at the Bab al Mandeb Strait, linking the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea, gives the election significance beyond its borders. The country hosts multiple foreign military bases, including those of the United States, China, France and Japan, and its ports remain a vital trade gateway for neighbouring Ethiopia.

Rights groups and government critics have for years accused the authorities of suppressing dissent and limiting open political activity, accusations the government rejects. Guelleh’s latest victory now extends one of Africa’s longest running presidencies by another five years.