Al-Jazeera reported on 1 May 2021 that Somalia"s lower house of parliament voted unanimously to restore a 2020 agreement that will allow the country to hold indirect elections, whereby delegates chosen by clan elders pick lawmakers who in turn choose the president. World Watch Research analyst Yonas Dembele explains: "In April 2021, parliament had voted to extend President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed"s term by two years to let the country prepare for direct elections in two years" time (Al-Jazeera, 12 April 2021). This was strongly criticized by the international community including the UN and the African Union. Since then, tension has been high with fighting breaking out between government forces and those allied to opposition leaders (BBC News, 25 April 2021). Somalia has for decades been rocked by conflict and Islamist attacks and cannot afford more instability. This move to end the political impasse will certainly help to de-escalate tension, especially in the capital, Mogadishu." Yonas Dembele continues: "With the government no longer distracted by the political crisis, attention can most likely be re-focused on combatting al-Shabaab. While this new development may not bring instant respite from al-Shabaab attacks, it brings hope for Somali Christians that the country will not be plunged into further instability and insecurity, which would give the militants more opportunity to advance their cause."