POLITICAL CRISIS AND TERRORISM IN SOMALIA: FROM "DISINTEGRATION" TO "INSTITUTIONALIZATION"

Abstract

The conflict in Somalia has been one of the most complex to analyze because of the particularities of clan and inter-clan relations within its society. The country has experienced a long period of political instability as a result of the intensification of the civil war that had its expression in such clan differences, which led to the balkanization or "disintegration" of Somalia following the emergence of autonomous "states". In this context, Al Shabaab came to play a crucial role. This terrorist organization has been active since 2010 and operates in the rural areas of south-central Somalia. Since 2012, there has been a gradual return to institutionality, with the holding of two elections that have taken into account these particularities of Somali society. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how a gradual and weak process of restructuring of political institutionality has been achieved in Somalia, based on a relative balance of power and political stabilization, despite security problems such as terrorism and inter-clan contradictions.