Somalia sets presidential election for May despite insecurity

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia announced on Thursday that parliamentary and presidential elections would be held next year in the deeply fragmented country, which faces a long-running Islamist insurgency. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s second term ended earlier this year, but his government declared a “transition period” in May, despite an agreement with the opposition on holding elections. Mohamud has been attempting to move Somalia toward democratic elections, replacing a system based around clan elders, although his attempts have been opposed by regional leaders, who view it as a power grab.