Guinea’s main opposition leader, Cellou Dalein Diallo, has urged supporters to engage in “direct resistance” against the government after authorities dissolved 40 political parties in a sweeping crackdown on the country’s political opposition.
The decision was announced late Friday by the Ministry of Territorial Administration and Decentralisation, which ordered the closure of the parties’ national and regional offices. The decree also banned the use of their names, logos, acronyms and other political symbols, while confiscating party assets and sealing their premises.
Officials said the groups were dissolved for failing to comply with legal requirements, including submitting financial reports and meeting administrative obligations. Several of the affected parties rejected the accusations, insisting they had fulfilled all requirements under Guinea’s political party laws.
Among the dissolved parties were the Rally of the People of Guinea, linked to former president Alpha Condé, and the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), led by Diallo, who is currently living in exile.
In a video statement posted on social media Sunday, Diallo said the decree marked a turning point in the country’s political crisis and accused the government of attempting to eliminate opposition forces.
“War has been openly declared,” he said, warning that democratic dialogue and political negotiations were no longer viable paths for change.
Diallo also accused President Mamady Doumbouya of attempting to establish a one-party state by removing political rivals from the national landscape.
Doumbouya, who seized power in a military coup in 2021 that toppled Condé, was sworn in as president earlier this year following elections that critics said excluded key opposition candidates.
Other political figures also condemned the decision. Jean‑Marc Telliano, a former minister and leader of the Rally for the Integrated Development of Guinea, said his party would challenge the dissolution through legal channels and fight to restore its political rights.
The mass dissolution of parties has intensified concerns among opposition groups and civil society organizations that Guinea’s military-led government is tightening its grip on power while restricting democratic freedoms.