Comoros President Azali Assoumani has, for the first time, publicly declared his intention to hand over power to his son, Nour El Fath, when his term ends in 2029. This announcement confirms longstanding accusations from critics that Assoumani has been grooming his son to succeed him.
Speaking to supporters on the island of Moheli on Thursday, Assoumani said, “I will place my son to replace me as head of the state and the party.” El Fath, who holds a key role coordinating government affairs with sweeping authority over the cabinet, has previously denied any plans to establish a monarchy, insisting Comoros is not a hereditary kingdom.
The announcement has intensified opposition backlash. Abdallah Mohamed Daoudou, spokesperson for the opposition coalition, said, “With this statement, he has only made official what we already knew. But Azali is deluding himself. The Comorian people and politicians will not accept the installation of a dynastic power or a monarchy in the Comoros.”
Assoumani’s political tenure has been mired in controversy. His re-election a year ago faced allegations of voter fraud, and his ruling party recently won parliamentary elections that opposition parties boycotted or rejected, citing similar claims of manipulation.
Comoros, an archipelago of three islands in the Indian Ocean, has a tumultuous history of political instability, with around 20 coups or attempted coups since its independence from France in 1975. Assoumani himself first seized power in a 1999 coup and has since won four elections.
The country’s 2018 constitutional reforms extended the presidency’s rotation among the three main islands from every five years to 10, effectively consolidating Assoumani’s grip on power. Under the current constitution, El Fath would not be eligible to succeed his father in 2029 unless the law is amended again.
Critics argue that Assoumani’s move threatens to undermine the democratic fabric of Comoros, with calls mounting for stronger resistance against what many see as an attempt to establish dynastic rule. For now, the president’s declaration has set the stage for a prolonged political battle over the future of the island nation.
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