Djibouti's President Secures Sixth Term With 98% of Vote, Extending 27-Year Rule

Djibouti's President Secures Sixth Term With 98% of Vote, Extending 27-Year Rule President Ismail Omar Guelleh has won a sixth term in office, extending his 27-year rule over the strategic Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. Official results from Friday's election show Guelleh received 97.8 percent of the vote [125949]. The 78-year-old leader faced only a single, little-known opponent in the poll [125889]. Just over 256,000 people were registered to vote [125895], and observers reported low turnout at polling stations throughout the capital on election day [125908]. Djibouti's location is of major global importance, sitting by vital shipping lanes at the entrance to the Red Sea. The country hosts military bases for world powers including the United States, China, and France [125908][125889]. This election was the first since a 2010 constitutional change removed presidential term limits [125908]. The country's main opposition candidates boycotted the election [125949]. President Guelleh, who has led Djibouti since 1999, is now set to solidify his position as one of Africa's longest-serving leaders with another five-year term [125878]. Djibouti Votes, But Few Show Up to Extend President's 22-Year Rule Djibouti Election Sees Low Turnout as Leader Eyes Sixth Term Djibouti Votes: One Man's March to a Sixth Term Djibouti's Guelleh Extends 25-Year Rule With 98% Election Win Djibouti's President Extends 27-Year Rule, Winning Sixth Term With 97.8% of Vote