Guinea Bissau president dissolves parliament, calls for elections

Guinea Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló has dissolved the parliament and the government and called for legislative polls, he announced on Monday.

Under the constitution the polls will take place within 90 days.

According to two presidential decrees, Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam and his deputy Soares Sambú will continue in their positions and will ensure the functioning of the executive until the elections are concluded.

Last week, President Embaló expressed his willingness to dissolve parliament after a meeting with its Speaker and representatives of the political parties with parliamentary seats.

“After an audience with the President, he informed me that he is going to dissolve parliament because has received complaints from the judiciary and also, from what I understand, it seems there is a crisis among political parties,” the parliament Speaker Mr Cipriano Cassamá told journalists last week.

After the dissolution, its permanent commission assumes parliamentary responsibilities until elections are held.