Keir Starmer attacks lies and misinformation threatening U.K. democracy

On January 1, 2025, civil unrest erupted in Guinea following Col. Mamadi Doumbouya's failure to meet the deadline for launching a democratic transition, which he had initially promised for December 31, 2024. The ruling junta, which has been in power since a military coup in 2021, faced backlash from civil society and opposition groups who organized protests throughout the capital city, calling for a return to democratic governance. Many activists deemed Doumbouya's New Year’s message, which failed to provide a definitive schedule for a constitutional referendum, as a tactic to extend military rule. The Forces Vives de Guinée coalition led calls for citizens to stay indoors as a form of protest, fearing further violence as tensions escalated. Conflicts during the protests resulted in the death of one individual and the arrest of hundreds, primarily young demonstrators. The U.S. State Department expressed significant concern regarding Guinea's hesitation to cement a timeline for democratic elections, urging the junta to engage civil society groups in the transition process. Guinea's military leadership has already dissolved over 50 political parties in the past year, justifying this drastic action as a necessary measure to cleanse the political landscape. Reports have surfaced regarding restrictions on independent media, including interruptions of social media platforms and arbitrary arrests of journalists. This has raised alarms over the potential credibility of elections moving forward, should they ever occur. As the international community closely watches, the continued standoff between the junta and the opposing forces reflects deeper societal frustrations regarding governance and democracy in Guinea. There is a growing consensus that without concrete actions taken toward political reform, Guinea may remain mired in political instability, threatening the broader principle of governance in West Africa, where several countries have also experienced military takeovers recently.