Dhuusamareeb(WDN) – As Galmudug prepares to elect its new House of Representatives, many voters are seeking to understand how the region’s 89 parliamentary seats will be allocated under the newly adopted electoral system.

Unlike previous elections, where lawmakers were selected through indirect political agreements, the upcoming vote will be conducted under a party-list proportional representation system, marking a significant departure from Galmudug’s traditional electoral model.

Parties, Not Individuals, Are on the Ballot

A total of 35 registered political parties are contesting the election for the 89-seat legislature.

Under the new system, voters will not cast ballots for individual candidates. Instead, they will vote for the political party of their choice. Once voting concludes, each party’s share of the total vote will determine how many seats it earns in the House of Representatives.

For example, if the JSP Party secures the largest share of the vote and that percentage entitles it to 30 seats, the party will be awarded those 30 seats. The remaining seats will then be distributed among the other parties according to the percentage of votes each receives until all 89 parliamentary seats have been allocated.

Candidate Ranking Determines Who Enters Parliament

After each party’s total number of seats has been calculated, those seats are filled according to the party’s pre-submitted list of candidates.

This means that a candidate’s position on the party list is just as important as the party’s overall electoral performance. For instance, if a candidate is ranked 49th on a party’s list but the party wins only 48 seats, that candidate will not enter parliament. Only candidates occupying the first 48 positions on the list would secure seats.

However, if the same party wins 49 seats or more, the candidate ranked 49th would also become a member of parliament.

Women’s Quota Remains a Legal Requirement

The electoral framework also preserves the legally mandated quota for women, ensuring that female representation remains an integral part of the composition of the new legislature.

As seats are allocated, electoral authorities are expected to ensure that the statutory quota for women is implemented alongside the proportional distribution of seats among political parties.

A Shift Toward Party-Based Politics

The proportional representation model is designed to ensure that parliamentary representation more closely reflects the level of public support each political party receives, rather than allowing individual candidates to win solely by securing the highest number of votes in a constituency.

Under this system, a candidate’s chances of entering parliament depend primarily on two factors:

• The total number of votes won by their political party.
• Their ranking on the party’s official candidate list.

Supporters of the new model argue that it encourages stronger political parties, promotes broader representation, and produces a legislature that more accurately reflects the electorate’s preferences.

As Galmudug enters this new chapter in its political development, the proportional representation system is expected to play a defining role in shaping the composition of the next House of Representatives and testing the region’s transition toward a more party-centered democratic process.

Nevertheless, the issue is not the electoral mechanism but the apparent predetermination of its outcome. Whatever process is ultimately adopted, it has become increasingly difficult to escape the conclusion that the presidency has already been politically reserved for Libaan Shuluq.

Through his political maneuvering, Hassan Sheikh has effectively presented Shuluq as the chosen successor long before the electorate—or any legitimate electoral body has had the opportunity to decide. An election whose outcome appears settled in advance cannot credibly claim to reflect the democratic will of the people.

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