The numerical scores and status listed here do not reflect conditions in Somaliland, which is examined in a separate report. Freedom in the World reports assess the level of political rights and civil liberties in a given geographical area, regardless of whether they are affected by the state, nonstate actors, or foreign powers. Related, disputed, or occupied territories are sometimes assessed separately if they meet certain criteria, including distinct conditions for political rights and civil liberties and boundaries that are sufficiently stable to allow year-on-year comparisons. For more information, see the report methodology and FAQ.

Somalia has struggled to reestablish a functioning state since the collapse of an authoritarian regime in 1991. Limited, indirect elections brought a federal government to power in 2012. By 2016, it had established five federal member states, though these semiautonomous regions are often at odds with the central government. The government’s territorial control is also contested by a separatist government in Somaliland and by the Shabaab, an Islamist militant group. No direct national elections have been held to date, and political affairs remain dominated by clan divisions. Amid ongoing insecurity, human rights abuses by both state and nonstate actors occur regularly.

• In October, the National Consultative Council (NCC)—which included federal leaders, the heads of three states, and the mayor of Mogadishu—announced plans to hold direct elections for local, regional, and state officials in 2025, to be followed by federal-level elections in 2026. This drew objections from Jubaland’s state president, Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe), who pressed ahead with his own reelection—under the existing indirect voting system—in November. Escalating hostility between the federal and Jubaland authorities culminated in armed clashes between the two sides in December, and the dispute was still unresolved at year’s end. The state leadership of Puntland also rejected the legitimacy of the federally driven reform process.
• The national army, allied clan militias, and the African Union (AU) Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) continued to combat the Shabaab during the year. In December, the United States confirmed that its forces had killed senior Shabaab figure Mohamed Mire with an air strike, in coordination with the federal government. The Shabaab carried out their own assaults, killing hundreds of clan militia fighters and civilians, including through terrorist attacks in the capital.
• The government and the AU were preparing to replace ATMIS with a new peacekeeping force, known as the AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), in January 2025. However, the new force’s funding and cohesion remained uncertain, in part because it was set to include troop contingents from two regional rivals, Ethiopia and Egypt, amid growing tensions between Ethiopia and Somalia’s federal government.
• Journalists continued to face arrests and physical violence. Among other cases, a reporter and producer from Britain’s Channel 4 were detained upon arrival in Puntland and promptly deported in February. In July, the head of Dawan Media, AliNur Salaad, was arrested in Mogadishu and charged with defaming the security forces; he was released on bail. Police in the capital used threats, confiscations, and detentions to deter media coverage of August protests by market traders against new taxes and fees.

This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.

For additional background information, see last year’s full report.