Somali opposition figures, including the Somali Future Council coalition, or SFC, and former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, said the term of Somalia's parliament had expired, and both the SFC and Farmajo stressed that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term would expire on May 15, Somalia Today reported on April 15. However, Mohamud's supporters rejected these claims, with the federal government informing foreign diplomats that the terms of the executive and legislative branches would continue for another year in line with recent constitutional changes.

Somalia's Constitution previously stipulated that elections are to be held every four years, and the last general election was held in 2022. In March, Somalia's parliament adopted constitutional changes that transitioned the country's voting model from clan-based voting to universal suffrage while also extending the terms of the president and parliament from four to five years. Both changes were rejected by the SFC, which regroups the state governments of Puntland and Jubaland.