Somalia · Constitution
Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia
Adopted provisionally in August 2012 by a National Constituent Assembly, establishing a federal parliamentary republic with a bicameral legislature and committing to a review process that remains incomplete. Article 2 provides that Islam is the religion of the state and that no law may be inconsistent with Sharia. Key questions were deliberately deferred: the allocation of powers and resources between the federal government and member states, and the status of the capital. Amendments to the first four chapters were approved in 2024 moving towards a directly elected presidency, and their acceptance among member states is not uniform.
The constitutional text
Adopted provisionally in August 2012 by a National Constituent Assembly, establishing a federal parliamentary republic with a bicameral legislature and committing to a review process that remains incomplete. Article 2 provides that Islam is the religion of the state and that no law may be inconsistent with Sharia. Key questions were deliberately deferred: the allocation of powers and resources between the federal government and member states, and the status of the capital. Amendments to the first four chapters were approved in 2024 moving towards a directly elected presidency, and their acceptance among member states is not uniform.
Separation of powers
Federal in form, with member states including Puntland, Jubaland, South West, Hirshabelle and Galmudug. The division of powers was left to be settled by later agreement and remains contested, particularly over revenue and security. Somaliland, in the northwest, does not participate and administers its own institutions.
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