The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) used its supermajority in the Parliament on Tuesday to pass constitutional amendments proposed by the government to hold future presidential elections and parliamentary elections on the same day.
Under the current system, voters go to polls twice within around six months every five years, electing the president in September and members of Parliament in April.
But the amendments, sponsored by PNC’s parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Falah, proposes merging the two elections, and bringing forward the start of the parliamentary term from May to December 1 to get this done.
This change will shorten the five-year term of the current parliamentary assembly, sworn in on May 28, 2024, by around six months.
The first combined poll would take place in 2028.
To be updated…