Officials in South Sudan, the world's youngest state, said on Saturday that its first national election would be postponed, raising new questions about a vote that analysts had already said could not yield a credible result. The National Elections Commission said the presidential and legislative elections, originally scheduled for Dec. 22, would now be held on Feb. 11. Information minister Ateny Wek Ateny said the delay would allow more time to register voters and educate them about the process.
South Sudan has never held a national election. Since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011 after decades of war, it has been ruled by President Salva Kiir. Civil war broke out in 2013 between the government and forces loyal to the main opposition leader, Riek Machar. A 2018 peace agreement made Mr. Machar vice president in a transitional government, and the upcoming election was meant to underwrite that deal.S1S2
That agreement has unravelled since March 2025, when Mr. Machar was placed under house arrest in the capital, Juba, and charged with treason. In recent months the government has replaced opposition lawmakers with its own supporters and dissolved the unity government. With Mr. Machar effectively sidelined, there are no credible challengers to Mr. Kiir, who is widely expected to win, given his broad following and a party that controls state institutions and the news media.S1
The election faces stark logistical challenges. Civil servants have not been paid in more than a year, and parts of the country are controlled by armed groups, including Mr. Machar's forces. More than 200 people were killed in a March massacre in Unity State near the Sudan border, according to human rights groups. The International Crisis Group told the U.N. Security Council this week that the conditions for credible polls are not in place and that rushed elections could open the door to a return to large-scale violence.S1
Mr. Ateny acknowledged the government cannot access "small parts" of the country but said the election would still be credible. Beyond the violence, South Sudanese face soaring food prices, drought and flooding. Of the country's roughly 12 million people, more than 8 million need food assistance, according to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network.S1
