Djibouti is an authoritarian state ruled by President Ismail Omar Guelleh since 1999 under a dominant-party system controlled by the People's Rally for Progress. A October 2025 constitutional amendment removed the presidential age limit, clearing the way for Guelleh to seek a sixth term in the April 2026 election. The country maintains regular elections but lacks meaningful democratic competition, with opposition parties facing significant restrictions and the ruling coalition holding a supermajority in the 65-seat National Assembly.