In 2021, Puntland made history as the first federal member state in Somalia to conduct direct elections based on universal suffrage in three districts: Eyl, Qardo and Ufeyn. In May 2023, local elections were subsequently held in 30 more districts. During this time, the elections in three districts of the Nugal region (Garowe, Dangoroyo and Godob-jiraan) were delayed due to election violence and were later held in July of this year (2024). The success of these local elections was marred, however, by a series of setbacks that strained the multiparty one-person-one-vote (OPOV) election process.
Despite unprecedented accomplishments, political disagreements, armed clashes and the later adoption of a clan-based selection model for the presidential elections in January 2024 underscore the challenges faced in conducting direct elections.
