Somalia’s fragile federal system has entered a dangerous new phase of political instability after Puntland, the country’s semi-autonomous northeastern region, formally declared that it no longer recognizes President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the legitimate head of state. The move intensifies an escalating constitutional dispute over presidential term limits and governance reforms, raising fears of institutional paralysis, renewed regional fragmentation, and heightened insecurity in a country already grappling with militant threats and fragile state-building efforts.
The confrontation stems from competing interpretations of Somalia’s provisional constitution and recently enacted federal amendments. The administration in Mogadishu maintains that constitutional reforms legally extended the presidential term from four years to five, allowing President Mohamud additional time to oversee a transition from Somalia’s longstanding clan-based electoral model toward a universal suffrage system. Supporters of the reforms argue that the extension is necessary to stabilize governance and modernize the political framework.
Puntland and several opposition figures reject that interpretation outright. Regional leaders contend that Mohamud’s mandate expired on May 15 and argue that any extension approved by parliament lacks legitimacy because lawmakers’ own terms allegedly expired in April. The dispute reflects deeper tensions between Somalia’s central government and its federal member states, many of which have long accused Mogadishu of consolidating power at the expense of regional autonomy. Puntland’s latest declaration marks one of the most serious institutional ruptures since Somalia adopted its federal system after decades of civil conflict.
Following an emergency cabinet session, Puntland Information Minister Farah Ali Hersi announced that the regional administration now considers Hassan Sheikh Mohamud a former president rather than a sitting head of state. Puntland officials also urged international partners to suspend formal engagement and refrain from ratifying agreements with Mogadishu until a broader political consensus is reached. In its joint communique, the regional government further accused federal authorities of suppressing dissent through arbitrary arrests and criticized recent demolitions and forced displacements in Mogadishu, warning that such actions risk destabilizing an already volatile political and security environment. Puntland has since called for an emergency national summit involving traditional elders, civil society representatives, and senior political actors to prevent what it described as a looming vacuum of legitimate authority.
The standoff threatens to undermine Somalia’s already delicate federal balance at a time when the country remains heavily dependent on international security support and continues to battle the insurgent group al-Shabaab. A prolonged constitutional impasse could weaken coordination between the federal government and regional administrations, potentially disrupting counterterrorism operations and economic governance. International actors — including the African Union, the United Nations, Turkey, Gulf states, and Western donors — now face a diplomatic dilemma over which institutions to recognize and support. The crisis also highlights a broader pattern across the Horn of Africa, where contested constitutional reforms and disputes over political legitimacy have increasingly fueled regional instability and institutional fragmentation
