What changed

B100574/2025

P10_TA(2025)0341

European Parliament resolution on graveGrave political situation in Guinea-Bissau after the coup of 26 November

(2025/3027(RSP))

PE779.049

European Parliament resolution of 18 December 2025 on the grave political situation in Guinea-Bissau after the coup of 26 November (2025/3027(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the rule of law in Guinea-Bissau has strongly deteriorated since President Umaro Sissoco Embaló took office in 2019, including severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms and the unconstitutional dissolution of the National Assembly;

A. whereas general elections were held in Guinea-Bissau on 23 November 2025; whereas the main opposition party, PAIGC, was barred from running;

B. whereas general elections were held in Guinea-Bissau on 23 November 2025 to elect the President and the Parliament; whereas the main opposition party PAIGC was barred from fielding a candidate after authorities deemed their application invalid;

B. whereas on 26 November 2025, a military group, led by General Horta N’Tam, seized power by force, illegally suspending the electoral process on the eve of the official announcement of the election results; whereas the ties between the coup leader and the incumbent, President Embaló, have raised serious allegations that the coup was orchestrated to pre-empt an electoral defeat;

C. whereas on 26 November 2025, a group of military seized power by force, illegally suspending the electoral process on the eve of the official announcement of the results of the general elections;

C. whereas protesters have called on the authorities to publish the election results; whereas the military junta has imposed a severe crackdown on civil liberties, and human rights violations have been reported against protesters and journalists, with at least 18 people arbitrarily detained, among them government officers, magistrates and political opposition leaders;

D. whereas in the aftermath of the alleged coup, protesters took the streets calling on the authorities to publish the election results; whereas human rights violations have been reported against protesters and journalists and 18 people have been arbitrarily detained, among them Government officers, magistrates, and opposition leaders;

D. whereas political opposition leaders were arrested on the day of the coup and have since been held incommunicado, without access to legal defence;

E. whereas opposition political leaders Domingos Simões Pereira, Octávio Lopes and Marciano Indo of the PAIGC, as well as Roberto Mbesba of the PRS, were arrested on the day of the alleged coup and have since been held incommunicado;

E. whereas presidential candidate Fernando Dias da Costa has taken refuge at the Nigerian embassy; whereas President Embaló was allowed to leave the country;

F. whereas presidential candidate Fernando Dias da Costa managed to escape the attack on his headquarters and took refuge in the Embassy of Nigeria, where he was granted asylum and has remained since the day of the alleged military coup;

F. whereas Guinea-Bissau’s participation in the African Union, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries and the Economic Community of West African States has been suspended until constitutional order is restored;

G. whereas persecution of activists and government critics, the media and human-rights defenders is increasing and the space for civil society is severely shrinking in the country;

1. Unequivocally condemns the military’s seizure of power on 26 November 2025 and the interruption to the electoral process; rejects the unconstitutional change of government, and calls for the immediate restoration of Guinea-Bissau’s constitutional order and electoral process;

H. whereas the African Union has suspended Guinea-Bissau from participating in all its activities, organs and institutions until constitutional order is restored;

2. Strongly condemns the disproportionate use of force by security forces against the population; calls on all parties to refrain from acts of violence; calls for an independent investigation into human rights violations, and for those responsible for the coup, and for human rights violations, to be held accountable;

1. Unequivocally condemns the seizure of power by the military of 26 November 2025, rejects the unconstitutional change of government following the alleged coup and calls for the immediate restoration of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau;

3. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of political opposition leaders Domingos Simões Pereira, Octávio Lopes, Marciano Indi, Roberto Mbesba and all others arbitrarily detained;

2. Strongly condemns the disproportionate use of force by security forces against the population in the aftermath of the coup and calls for an independent investigation into human-rights violations and for judicial accountability of those responsible for the alleged coup as well as for the violations;

4. Denounces the junta’s violent repression of activists, journalists, human rights defenders and civil society; calls for the lifting of all restrictions on independent media and an end to all forms of persecution of civil society;

3. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of Domingos Simões Pereira, Octávio Lopes, Marciano Indo, Roberto Mbesba and all individuals arbitrarily detained;

5. Calls on Guinea-Bissau’s electoral commission to publish the verified electoral results without military or political interference;

4. Denounces the violent repression against activists, journalists, human rights defenders and members of civil society, and calls for the end of all practices of intimidation, censorship and persecution of civil society in Guinea-Bissau;

6. Urges inclusive political dialogue among all key stakeholders, with the support of regional actors, to implement structural reforms for strengthening democracy and the rule of law;

5. Calls on the National Electoral Commission to publish the verified electoral results without military or political interference;

7. Urges the EU to immediately review its agreements and funding, ensure that cooperation funds do not strengthen the junta and other authoritarian structures, and prioritise support for democratic civil society;

6.8. Calls on the Council to consider restrictive measures on those responsible for the alleged coup and for widespread human-rights violationshuman inrights Guinea-Bissau;violations;

7.9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the authorities of Guinea-Bissau, African regional organisations, the CPLP,Community of Portuguese Language Countries and the UN.United Nations.