Election campaigning ends in Guinea as coup leader Doumbouya seeks to cement power

(25 Dec 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Conakry, Guinea - 25 December 2025
1. Crowd gathering in front of Palace of the People at the closing campaign rally for military leader Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya
2. Various of supporters dancing in front of Palace of the People
3. SOUNDBITE (French) Boubacar Sow, voter:
“He is the liberator. This is why we came out to vote for him, 100%. Because he’s a builder. He has shown us many things. Since he came, he has built roads, he has fought against corruption.”
4. Various of supporters dancing with placards of Doumbouya
5. Mid of people in Doumbouya clothing
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Mariame Kourouma, voter:
“I’m here to support Mamadi Doumbouya because of his kindness, for the job opportunities he gave to the people who need it, and for the efforts he did for us, for the population. So we are here to support him as the president of our country.”
7. Various of convoy of the main opposition party, the Democratic Front of Guinea party, and its presidential candidate Abdoulaye Yero Balde
8. Various of Balde greeting supporters from a car
9. SOUNDBITE (French) Mohamed Lamine Bangoura, opposition supporter:
“Since Alpha Conde told Yero Balde to join him on the third term, he said no Mr. President, I cannot follow you to serve a third term, because we have told the Guinean people to restore democracy. So we’ve done the two terms, we leave power now and another group will come. If that’s not the case, I’ll resign.”
10. People marching in front of the Palace of the People
11. Women dancing at rally
12. Close of shirts with Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya photos
13. Convoy leaving rally
STORYLINE:
Conakry’s Palace of the People was bustling Thursday with military leader Gen. Mamadi Doumbouya’s final campaign rally as Guinea’s presidential race drew to a close ahead of Sunday’s vote.

The election will be Guinea’s first since the 2021 military coup that saw Doumbouya come to power.

The leadup to the election has been marked by a crackdown on dissent and sidelining of the opposition, with major leaders exiled or prohibited from running. But Doumbouya has widespread support, and many praise his efforts to develop the country.

Rally attendee Boubacar Sow described Doumbouya as a "liberator" and "builder."

"Since he came, he has built roads, he has fought against corruption," he told The Associated Press.

The vote comes amid growing concerns over democratic backsliding across West Africa, where Guinea is one of 10 countries that have seen military takeovers since 2020.

Like others in the region, the junta has delayed a return to civilian rule, instead paving the way for Doumbouya to run for a newly extended seven-year term.

Though Doumbouya has little serious competition, his closest rival is Abdoulaye Yero Balde, who served as education minister under former president Alpha Conde.

Mohamed Lamine Bangoura, an opposition supporter, said Balde made a name for himself when he stood up to Conde as he attempted to run for a third term in office.

“He said no Mr. President, I cannot follow you to serve a third term, because we have told the Guinean people to restore democracy,” he said.

Balde did resign in protest as Conde ran for and won that third term. Conde was ultimately deposed in the coup just a year later.

Despite its vast mineral wealth, more than half of Guinea’s 15 million people face record poverty and food insecurity.


About 6.7 million voters are expected to cast ballots at more than 24,000 polling stations, with results due within 48 hours and a runoff possible if no candidate wins a majority.

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