Somalia is in transitioning from 4.5 clan-based federalism into separatism, the country remains deeply divided between the federal government in Mogadishu and the breakaway, self-declared independent Republic of Somaliland. While federalism aimed to unite the country, severe constitutional tensions, excessive foreign interventions and Somaliland’s steadfast independence efforts keep national unity difficult.
The current political structures that operate in Somalia since 2006
1. The Federal Framework
Established by the Provisional Constitution in 2012, Somalia is divided into the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and six Federal Member States: Puntland, Jubaland, Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Southwest, and SSC-Khaatumo. However, there is no collaboration in between the federal government and some regional authorities like Puntland and Jubba land due to a power struggle with the federal government on issues of the elections, foreign policy and the national defense issue. Puntland and Jubba-land want more power, or favorable conditions regarding to the national issues, power sharing, resources and representation in the federal government. The above-mentioned regional authorities want also a continuation of the statuesque, meaning, the continuation of the indirect selections where politicians in the legislative are used to select by the traditional clan leaders in Puntland and the Jubba-land.
However, the current leadership of the federal government in Mogadishu altered the system of indirect elections and approved in the parliament a direct election model called one-man one vote as President Hassen cleared up the transitional constitution written in 2012 and finalized a permanent constitution as the legislative organ approved with majority.
2. The Somaliland Separatist Movement
The northwestern region of Somalia currently called the ‘Somaliland’ is a self-governing administration unilaterally declared independence from Somalia following the collapse of the central government in 1991. It functions as a de facto independent state with its own government, currency, and security force. However, their claim of sovereign legitimate state is not recognized by the Somali government and indeed so many governments around the world.
The main reason Somalia didn’t recognized Somaliland as independent country roots back to the way in which the country disintegrated during the civil war during the collapse of the military regime in the 1991. Where SNM current Somaliland government fought against the military regime alongside with other rebels who shed blood and committed crimes against civilians during their fight against the Military regime of Siyad Barre. After the fall of the military regime the SNM declared unilaterally independence from Somalia. That declaration annoyed the rest rebel groups in the south and the northeast Somalia. The unilateral declaration was regarded a national betrayal and unlawful declaration of independence.
However, the trend of Somaliland’s succession dream was joined by Isreal who recognized Somaliland as independent country in exchange of land, military based and seaport of Berbera. This new phenomenon has terrified the Somali federal government in Mogadishu and obscured future negotiation between Somalia and the successionist movement in the north. What remains in this chapter is uncertain. Will Somalia fight to control Somaliland by force? Will Somalia accept and negotiate with situation? How many foreign actors behind the Somaliland’s recognition?! No body knows what will happen in the near future, but it is clear that the current situation will never be accepted in these ways by the Somali people despite divisions. Somalia has been under constant threat from balkanization and disintegration as well excessive political and military interventions.
Somalia faces a critical crossroads rather than moving forward from federalism to secession, it remains stuck in a standoff where Mogadishu struggles to centralize authority, regional states battle for local autonomy, and Somaliland remains completely outside the federal union and remains threat to Somali unity and the idea of territorial integrity of the country.
Written by: Omar Ahmed Malin