Gurmad Qaran Position Paper on Hybrid Eloctral Model: A Transitional Pathway to One Person, One Vote
Somalia stands at a critical stage in its democratic political transition. The constitutional deadline
of 15 May 2026 for holding elections has elapsed without political agreement, leaving the country
in a constitutional and political limbo. As competing electoral visions continue to prolong
divisions, the need for nationally accepted pathway has become increasingly urgent. This Gurmad
Qaran position paper first assesses Somalia’s previous electoral models and building on their
incremental foundations, proposes Bridging Tradition and Democracy, hybrid electoral
framework that thoughtfully integrates Somalia’s traditional clan-based structures with democratic
and civic principles as a step closer to universal suffrage.
Gurmad Qaran is proposing two options: (1)Clan-level seat allocation based on a rotational
principle, followed by competitive candidate selection within the designated clan segment (Jifo),
with the candidates securing the majority of votes then presented to district voters for direct
election and (2) This option preserves all official House of the People (HoP) seat designations
while establishing direct citizen representation. Eligible candidates contest specific seats, and
citizens directly elect their preferred representative, with the candidate receiving the most valid
votes declared the winner.
The Gurmad Qaran proposal is founded on the recognition that the institutional, legal, security,
and administrative facilities necessary for the immediate implementation of nationwide One
Person, One Vote (1P1V) are far from being fully established. By measuring Somalia’s current
socio-political realities against the ideal aspiration of universal suffrage, the proposal offers a
practical and consensus-based transitional framework that addresses existing gaps while
preserving political inclusivity and stability. Most importantly, it lays the legal, institutional, and
operational foundations for the credible implementation of a genuine One Person, One Vote
election by 2030/31.
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