Guinea’s interim leader Mamady Doumbouya has been declared the winner of the country’s presidential election, according to provisional results released by electoral authorities. The former special forces commander secured 86.72% of the vote, giving him an outright victory in the first round and formalizing his hold on power four years after seizing control in a 2021 military coup.

The result concludes Guinea’s transition period and grants Doumbouya a seven-year mandate, following constitutional changes adopted in a September referendum that lifted earlier bans on junta members running for office.

Rewritten Rules, Fragmented Opposition

Under the original post-coup charter, members of the military leadership were barred from contesting elections. That restriction was removed after the new constitution was approved, allowing Doumbouya to reverse his earlier pledge not to stand.

The election featured nine candidates, but Guinea’s two most prominent opposition figures—former president Alpha Condé and long-time rival Cellou Dalein Diallo—remain in exile. Other opposition parties complained of limited political space, leaving Doumbouya to face a fragmented and weakened field.

Election authorities said turnout reached 80.95% of the 6.7 million registered voters, a figure disputed by opposition figures who said participation appeared far lower in the capital, Conakry.

Resource Nationalism and Popular Appeal

Doumbouya’s campaign emphasized economic sovereignty and state control over natural resources. Guinea holds the world’s largest bauxite reserves and one of the richest untapped iron ore deposits at Simandou, a mega-project officially launched last month after years of delay.

His government has also revoked the license of Guinea Alumina Corporation, a subsidiary of Emirates Global Aluminium, transferring its assets to a state-owned firm. These moves mirror resource-nationalist policies adopted by military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, helping bolster Doumbouya’s domestic popularity, particularly among younger voters in a country where the median age is about 19.

Rights Concerns and Legal Hurdles

Despite the landslide result, international and domestic observers raised concerns about the political environment. The United Nations said the campaign period was “severely restricted,” citing intimidation of opposition actors, limits on media freedom, and alleged enforced disappearances.

Opposition candidate Faya Lansana Millimono alleged “systematic fraudulent practices,” including restrictions on election observers. Guinea’s Supreme Court has eight days to review and validate the results should any formal challenges be filed.

For now, the vote consolidates Doumbouya’s transition from junta leader to elected president, even as questions persist over the credibility and competitiveness of Guinea’s return to civilian rule.