Description of Electoral System:

(courtesy of IFES election guide)

Somalia is a country in transition. De facto the state has been in anarchy since 1991 with only loose governmental structures. There are not general elections by the populace. The interim Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP) of 275 members was selected in 2004, with each of Somalia's four major clans getting 61 seats in the parliament, and an alliance of minority clans given 31 seats. These seats were selected by traditional clan leaders, such as in shura councils, or were chosen for their office because they were powerful de facto leaders such as warlords or businessmen. Once appointed, the Parliament then voted, as a representative body for Somalia, to elect President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed. Somalia therefore is a representative democracy and technically a republic, but has not yet held any general elections.