State in Guinea

The Constitution identifies the people as the source of sovereignty. The president is directly elected for a seven-year term and may serve one renewal. Mamadi Doumbouya was president on 9 September 2026, and Amadou Oury Bah was prime minister. The president directs the state, appoints officials, exercises regulatory powers, commands the armed forces and bears responsibility for national defence. The prime minister leads the government and coordinates central, deconcentrated and decentralized administration. Deconcentration means that central government services operate through territorial representatives, while decentralization gives elected local authorities their own responsibilities and resources. The legislature has two chambers: the Assemblée nationale and the Sénat. The Assemblée nationale has 147 directly elected deputies serving five-year terms. Senators serve six-year terms; one third are appointed by the president and two thirds are indirectly elected by regional and communal councillors. The Conseil de la Nation brings both chambers together in a joint sitting. The first legislature of the Assemblée nationale was installed on 17 July 2026. The operational functioning of the Sénat had not yet been confirmed in the available primary evidence, so the practical operation of the bicameral system remained an implementation risk. The Cour constitutionnelle reviews constitutional matters, elections and fundamental rights. It has 11 judges serving non-renewable nine-year terms. The Cour suprême is the highest judicial and administrative court and reviews administrative acts. The Cour des Comptes performs supreme ex-post public financial oversight. A special court, the Cour spéciale de Justice de la République, handles constitutional responsibility proceedings involving the president and government members. Guinea has Régions, Préfectures and Sous-préfectures as territorial administrative areas. Régions and Communes are local authorities led through elected councils and are intended to manage their own affairs. Laws provide for transfers of powers and resources and for financial equalization between territories. Regional authorities were still in an operational and reform stage in 2026. The Ministère de l’Administration du territoire et de la Décentralisation, commonly referred to as MATD, is responsible for territorial administration, decentralization, supervision of communes, state coordination, civil registration, boundaries, local development and public order. Public services are accessed through the competent ministry, Région, Préfecture, Sous-préfecture or Commune. Fees and processing times depend on the particular service. Public finances are managed through the Ministère de l’Economie, des Finances et du Budget. The prime minister must submit the finance bill no later than 15 October, and adoption is due no later than 31 December. The Assemblée nationale examines the budget, while the Cour des Comptes audits public finances after spending and publishes annual reports that also support parliamentary oversight. Before the next annual budget, the government must document the recovery of at least 70 percent of local resources. Tax expenditures are assessed annually under Article 49-2 of the organic law on finance laws. Local authorities receive state resources in proportion to transferred responsibilities, together with equalization arrangements. Public freedoms include freedom of opinion, the press and communication, as well as access to public information. Restrictions may apply to violence, hatred, discrimination, national security, public order and the rights of others. The Commission de régulation de la communication et de l’audiovisuel regulates written, digital, audiovisual, cinematographic and advertising media. The Constitution is also explained through national languages. Civic duties include respecting the Constitution and laws, paying taxes, protecting public property and supporting national unity and alternation of power. The Forces de Défense et de Sécurité protect territorial integrity, public order, people and property and may contribute to peace missions and civilian education or development activities. They are constitutionally republican, apolitical and subordinate to civilian authority, with a duty to respect human rights. Private militias are prohibited. The president is commander-in-chief and responsible for national defence, while the Ministère délégué chargé de la Défense nationale and the Ministère de la Sécurité et de la Protection civile carry sector responsibilities. The president may declare a state of siege or emergency after consulting the heads of the parliamentary chambers; Parliament then meets automatically.