South Sudan’s cabinet on Friday approved a constitutional amendment bill that would remove the legal requirement for elections to be conducted under a permanent constitution, clearing the way for the country’s planned December 2026 general elections despite persistent concerns. The Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan (Amendment No. Under the current Transitional Constitution, elections are to be conducted in accordance with a permanent constitution. The constitutional changes follow amendments to the 2018 peace deal recently that removed requirements for a permanent constitution and a population census before elections can be held. Besides approving the constitutional amendment bill, the cabinet reviewed South Sudan’s participation in the East African Community and directed the Ministry of Finance and Planning to settle the country’s outstanding membership contributions.