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| - An extension of the Somali president's mandate, voted by lawmakers, threatens the stability of his and neighbouring countries, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned on Tuesday. The reaction from Brussels came a day after Somalia's lower house of parliament agreed to extend the term of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known by his nickname Farmajo, for another two years. His original mandate ran out in February. "The European Union believes that the passage and signing of this resolution will divide Somalia, impose additional delays and constitute a grave threat to the peace and stability of Somalia and its neighbours," Borrell said in a statement. "It certainly does not serve the interests of the people of Somalia," he added. The speaker of Somalia's upper house has condemned the move to extend the president's mandate as unconstitutional. It also ignores calls from the international community for elections. "We call for an immediate return to talks on the holding of elections without delay," Borrell said in his statement. "Failing this, the EU will consider further concrete measures." The east African nation is in the grip of a political crisis, with the holding of elections deadlocked for months and any agreement stymied by squabbles between Farmajo and the leaders of Somalia's federal states. Somalia has not had an effective central government since the collapse of a military regime in 1991, which led to decades of civil war and lawlessness fuelled by clan conflicts. In February opposition leaders, who have declared they no longer recognise Farmajo as president, attempted to hold a protest march, which led to an exchange of gunfire in the capital. rmb/del/jj
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