Former Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira’s African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) remained the largest party in the 102-member People's National Assembly. The Movement for a Democratic Alternative (MADEM-G.15, which comprises former PAIGC members), led by Mr. Braima Camara, and the Party for Social Renovation (PRS), which respectively came second and third, signed an agreement to form an opposition bloc in the new legislature.

The PAIGC subsequently signed a coalition agreement with three other parties (see note), giving it a total of 54 seats. However, when Mr. Camara (MADEM-G15) was not elected as the first vice-speaker, President José Mário Vaz refused to name a new prime minister stating that the post of the first vice-speaker had to be filled before the appointment of the prime minister. The PAIGC contested the decision arguing that the fact that there was no vice-speaker did not prevent the appointment of the prime minister. On 22 May, thousands of PAIGC supporters protested in the capital, calling on the President to nominate Mr. Pereira as prime minister. Following mounting pressure, the President asked the PAIGC to nominate a premier candidate. The PAIGC named Mr. Pereira. However, on 17 June, the President, without giving a reason, asked Parliament to nominate someone else. The PAIGC subsequently nominated as its new premiership candidate Mr. Aristides Gomes (PAIGC) who has been in the post since April 2018.

Under the Constitution, the President has to approve both the prime minister and the new government. On 19 June, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) gave Guinea-Bissau a deadline of 23 June (when the President’s five-year term was due to end) to name the new prime minister proposed by the parliamentary majority and to form a new government, or face sanctions. On 22 June, President Vaz approved Mr. Gomes (PAIGC) as prime minister. Although Mr. Gomes handed a list of his Cabinet to the President, the President did not approve the list before the end of his presidential term on 23 June, plunging the country into a power vacuum.

On 27 June, the People's National Assembly elected Speaker Cipriano Cassamá as interim President of the Republic. On 29 June, Attorney General Bacar Biai issued an arrest order against the Speaker, for “attempting to subvert the constitutional order”. On 29 June, ECOWAS urged President Vaz to appoint the Government and a new Attorney General by 3 July 2019. ECOWAS also urged Mr. Vaz to leave the full management of government affairs to the newly formed Government while noting he would stay in office until the next presidential election (expected to be held on 24 November).

On 2 July, Attorney General Biai submitted his resignation to President Vaz “for the sake of peace and stability”. On 3 July, the President also appointed a new Cabinet under Mr. Gomes. It includes 16 ministers – 8 men and 8 women – as well as 15 deputy ministers; 23 from PAIGC members and six members from its earlier referred to three allies. The President also appointed Mr. Ladislau Clemente Fernando Embassa as new Attorney General.

The delayed elections in 2019 followed a period of political crisis, triggered in August 2015 by the dismissal of the then Prime Minister Pereira by President Vaz. The crisis deepened in early 2016 when PAIGC expelled 15 of its members who supported the new Prime Minister, which then led to their dismissal from Parliament. In April 2016, the Supreme Court declared the Parliament’s decision to expel the 15 parliamentarians unconstitutional.

An agreement to end the crisis, brokered by ECOWAS, was reached in April 2018. President Vaz appointed Mr. Gomes as a new consensus Prime Minister, paving the way for the National Assembly to meet for the first time since January 2016. It extended its term - which was due to expire on 23 April 2018 - until the proclamation of the results of the new parliamentary elections expected to be held on 18 November 2018. Due mainly to delays of finalizing the census and voter registration, parliamentary elections were postponed several times to 10 March 2019.

Note:
The United People's Assembly - Democratic Party of Guinea-Bissau (APU-PDGB), the Union for Change (UM) and the New Democracy Party (PND).