Guinea’s government dissolved 40 political parties Friday, including the nation’s main opposition groups, sparking warnings of a “party-state.”
The Ministry of Territorial Administration said the parties were dissolved for failing to meet obligations, stripping them of legal status and political activity.
Opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo condemned the move, accusing President Mamadi Doumbouya of sidelining rivals to entrench a one-party system.
Diallo urged Guineans to unite, saying dialogue and legal avenues could no longer deliver meaningful political change in the country.
Doumbouya seized power in a 2021 military coup and was elected president in December, in an election barring major opposition leaders.
Since taking office, the junta leader has suspended parties and media outlets while forcing opposition figures into exile or arresting them.
Among the dissolved groups are Diallo’s Union of Democratic Forces, Alpha Condé’s Rally of the Guinean People, and Sidya Touré’s Union of Republican Forces.
All three parties had been suspended in August, ahead of a referendum enabling Doumbouya to run for president.
Guinea joins several West African nations where coups have emerged amid security concerns, economic strain, and contested elections since 2020.
The dissolution deepens political uncertainty as citizens confront a landscape increasingly dominated by a military-backed leadership.