Guineans vote in presidential election with coup leader in race

There are nine candidates in the 2025 Guinean presidential race, following validation by the Supreme Court after initial submissions from over 50 aspirants.

Incumbent transitional President Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya, a special-forces commander with foreign service experience, led a bloodless coup on Sept. 5, 2021, removing President Alpha Conde from office. He is widely expected to win a 7-year term.

Several prominent political figures are absent from the race, including former President Conde of the Rally of the Guinean People (RPG Arc-en-ciel), who exceeded the age limit of 80, Sidya Toure of the Union of Republican Forces (UFR), and Cellou Dalein Diallo of the suspended Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), both of whom are in exile.

Former Prime Minister Lansana Kouyate and former minister Ousmane Kaba were also excluded from the ballot.

In their absence, Doumbouya is contesting the election against eight other candidates who are largely unknown to the public or have limited political mobilization capacity.

His competitors include former ministers Abdoulaye Yero Balde, Hadja Makale Camara, and Ibrahima Abe Sylla.

Some 6.7 million registered voters are going to the polls across the country from 7 am to 6 pm local time.

In a generally calm atmosphere, polling stations opened on time with strong turnout, particularly in the northern suburb commune of Sonfonia in Conakry, as authorities deployed extensive security measures and committed to announcing provisional results in record time.

In Sonfonia, a recently established independent commune known for its residential and university areas, voters flocked to centers early, creating a lively yet orderly scene. “From the early hours of the morning, the commune of Sonfonia saw particular activity around various polling centers, already stormed by determined voters eager to make their voices heard,” Guinean journalist Saly Sow told Anadolu. Long queues formed in a calm and disciplined fashion.

Minor logistical issues, such as shortages of ballots or indelible ink, were noted in some stations early on but were quickly addressed by the Communal Election Directorate (DCE). “We opened our station at exactly 7:00 am. The queues formed immediately. Everything is going very well,” one polling station president told Anadolu over the phone, praising the organization and voters' responsible behavior.

To ensure a peaceful vote, the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection has mobilized 11,626 police officers nationwide.

In Conakry, 7,878 agents are deployed, with additional forces in interior regions: 1,332 in Kindia, 688 in Kankan, and 477 in NZerekore, among others. Police have urged citizens to remain calm while reaffirming their commitment to a transparent and credible process.

Ahead of the vote, the Directorate General of Elections (DGE) sought to reassure stakeholders on result timelines.

At a press conference on Saturday, DGE Director General Djenabou Toure pledged provisional full results within a maximum of 72 hours—or even partial results in 48 hours—thanks to new technologies and fiber-optic connections linking all 33 prefectures to Conakry. “We will meet the challenge,” she emphasized, highlighting efforts to expedite processing of vote tallies.