The main opposition coalition in Guinea-Bissau will not be able to present its list for the legislative elections, which will take place on November 23 at the same time as the presidential election, a member of the Supreme Court told AFP on Wednesday, citing a late submission of its application.

Led by former Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, who returned from a nine-month exile on Friday to run for president, the Pai-Terra Ranka opposition coalition brings together around ten political parties, including the PAIGC, the historic party that led to Guinea-Bissau's independence.

The coalition, which submitted its list on Tuesday, was informed by the Supreme Court that it will not have enough time to analyze the late submissions.

"Candidate applications must be submitted 72 hours before the deadline. This is what the electoral code stipulates. All party leaders know this," a member of the Supreme Court told AFP on Wednesday.

The deadline for submitting candidacies for the presidential and legislative elections is Thursday, September 25.

A PAIGC member confirmed to AFP that the coalition had "been notified of a situation that would exclude us from the elections."

"We will send a note tomorrow, Thursday, asking the Supreme Court for clarification regarding the rejection of our case," continues this source within the PAIGC.

No legal recourse is possible.

Domingo Simoes Pereira, opposition leader and head of the Pai-Terra Ranka list, also filed his candidacy for the November presidential election with the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

This long-time opponent of President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, whose rival he was in the last presidential election during a disputed election, is being prosecuted and has been in exile for nine months because he said he feared for his life.

It is unclear whether the rejection of Pai-Terra Ranka's list will impact his candidacy.

Another PAIGC official announced to AFP a "follow-up by political actions", without specifying the nature of the actions envisaged.

The PAIGC had largely won the last legislative elections of 2023, gaining 54 seats out of 102 in the Assembly, forcing President Embalo into a tense cohabitation.

Mr Embalo dissolved the opposition-backed parliament in December 2023, three days after armed clashes he described as an attempted coup.

The opposition led by Mr. Pereira considers that Mr. Embalo's mandate, sworn in on February 27, 2020 for a five-year term, has expired.

A former Portuguese colony in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau has experienced four successful coups since its independence (the last in 2012), 17 attempted coups and a waltz of governments.