General elections are due to be held in South Sudan on 22 December 2026, the first since independence.
Initially scheduled to be held by 9 July 2015,[1][2] in light of an alleged coup d'état attempt and continuing conflict in the country this was thrown into doubt, especially since no permanent constitution had been formulated. The South Sudan parliament voted in April 2015 to amend the country's transitional 2011 constitution to extend the presidential and parliamentary term until 9 July 2018, with 264 members in favour and a handful opposing it.[3] It was postponed again to 2021 in July 2018.[4] Following the peace agreement that ended the civil war, a transitional period of three years was agreed on, which would be followed by elections in 2023.[5] In 2022, the transitional government and opposition agreed to move it to late 2024.[6][7] In September 2024, the government ordered the elections to be postponed until 22 December 2026, citing the need to complete institutional processes such the creation of a census and a permanent constitution and the registration of political parties.[8]