Voters await results in Guinea-Bissau

 According to the National Election Commission of Guinea-Bissau, around one million of the nation's two million residents registered to vote in the legislative election, which ended at 17:00 local time.

The closely contested election was seen by some 200 election observers, including 75 from the West African regional body Ecowas. None of the 22 political parties was predicted to obtain an outright majority in the polls.

Despite holding the most seats, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which had previously held the top position, is currently in opposition.

According to the present constitution, the government is chosen by the party or coalition with the most seats in parliament. Nevertheless, the president has the authority to dissolve it under specific conditions, which has in the past resulted in political impasses.

2020 saw the election of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló on the platform of the Madem-G15 party, which split from the PAIGC. The second-highest number of seats were in Madem-G15.

Three months after claiming to have survived a coup attempt, the president last year faced criticism when he dissolved parliament and put his own officers to the administration.