The Somali parliament approved a proposal on Saturday to amend its constitution, which will overhaul its electoral system and reintroduce universal suffrage.

The vote, which was unanimous, will amend the first four chapters of the country’s transitional constitution, to introduce a presidential electoral vote. This will give the Somali people the power to directly chose the president. The elected president will then appoint the Prime Minister. The government says they hope to promote an independent, multi-party system free from corruption.

The proposal for the amendments came after the government announced it will end its indirect voting system in May 2023, as the country struggles with weak state structures and insecurity. Somalia currently has a complex and indirect electoral system, in which people do not take part in one-person-one-vote elections. Rather, the president is elected by the members of the House of the People, who are chosen by delegates appointed by clan leaders and members of civil society, who are selected by regional state officials.

The vote was criticized by former president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, who claimed that the plan is an attempt by President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud to take over the parliament and secure his own interests. His criticism was echoed by former president Mohamed Farmaajo, who said in a statement on X that the amended constitution was passed through an “illegal process” and that the amendments do not reflect the current political situation.

Furthermore, the Puntland regional government in north-eastern Somalia announced it was boycotting the constitutional amendments, saying it will act as an independent administration until a constitution is agreed upon through a referendum.