House of Elders (Somaliland)

The House of Elders (Somali: Golaha Guurtida, Arabic: مجلس الشيوخ, romanized: majlis ash-Shuyūkh), also known as the Guurti, is the upper house of the Parliament of Somaliland. It has 82 members, representing traditional leaders. The House of Elders is mandated with considering bills proposed by the lower house of the parliament, the Somaliland House of Representatives.

Somaliland National Charter of 1993 established bicameral legislature. It was at a national gathering of clan elders at the 1993 conference in Boorama that delegates assigned the Guurti the role of peacemaker and upper house of the legislature. The term of office for the House of Elders is six years, but it has never been re-elected since it was founded in 1993.

In contrast, members of the Somaliland's House of Representatives, Somaliland's Lower house, are elected through democratic elections.

According to the Somaliland Constitution, the House of Elders has the power to reject a resolution of the House of Representatives, but the will of the House of Representatives prevails if the resolution is re-passed by a 2/3 majority of the House of Representatives.

Somaliland's political form is not yet stable, and although the term of office for the House of Representatives is constitutionally set at five years, actual elections for members have only been held twice until 2023, in 2005 and 2021, due to various circumstances. The House of Elders plays an important role in extending the term of the House of Representatives. The term of office of the President is also set at five years, but the term has always been extended in the past, and the House of Elders plays an important role in this as well.