Somali parliament backs constitutional changes that could extend president's term

Somalia's parliament has backed constitutional changes that could extend the president's term in office by a year and push back planned elections.

The vote happened on Wednesday, and on Thursday analysts who follow the Horn of Africa country closely were still debating exactly what the implications are.

Somalia has endured conflict and clan battles with no strong central government since the fall of autocratic ruler Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

While an African Union peacekeeping mission has pushed back the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group, it still controls vast areas of the countryside and has the ability to conduct regular strikes on major population centres.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud celebrated parliament's backing of the constitutional changes at a press conference on Wednesday, saying the approval process "had dragged for a long period".

Samira Gaid, an analyst with Balqiis, a Mogadishu-based think tank, said the implications of the constitutional amendments, which have been criticised by opposition lawmakers, remained unclear.

"The constitutional change doesn't automatically extend the current president's term but it is a matter of interpretation. For now, the president is being very careful not to say that he is extending his term because of potential criticism from the international community," she said.

Gaid said the elections slated for May would be delayed regardless because there is no agreed framework currently.