Guinea-Bissau to allow party meetings on Nov. 24 but keep rallies banned

Guinea-Bissau's military authorities say legally registered political parties may resume internal meetings and congresses from 24 November 2026, while political rallies, marches and public demonstrations will remain prohibited.

The Military High Command for the Restoration of National Security and Public Order announced the partial relaxation on 6 November, citing a communiqué dated 5 November. The decision does not take effect immediately. Parties will have to hold the permitted activities at designated locations and notify the relevant authorities in advance.

Under the announcement, parties may conven internal consultations, assemblies and congresses. Public campaign rallies, processions and demonstrations remain subject to earlier restrictions. The high command says the conditions are intended to maintain national security and public order, and warns that breaches could lead to intervention by security authorities.

Guinea-Bissau's national news agency ANG reported the effective date and the distinction between internal party activities and public gatherings. DW Africa separately said it had obtained the military communiqué and confirmed both the 24 November start date and the continuing prohibition on public political events.

The distinction matters in a country governed by a military-led transition after armed forces seized power in November 2025 and halted an election process. The transitional authorities earlier set 6 December 2026 as a date for presidential and legislative elections, but the transition government's prime minister has subsequently questioned whether conditions exist to hold that vote on schedule, according to Lusa's 6 November account. This latest communiqué is not an announcement that an election date has been confirmed, changed or cancelled.

The published accounts establish a limited change in the rules for party organization, not a restoration of unrestricted political assembly. The signed original communiqué, details of how advance notifications will be processed, any enforcement orders and the authorities' eventual election timetable are the next records to check. No claim is made here that any particular party has already held a newly authorized meeting or that the restrictions have been lifted in practice.