Preceding the election, many local politicians expressed hope that it may help Somaliland be recognized as a nation by more members of the international community.[1] President Muse Bihi Abdi and opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi called for voters to remain peaceful at the polls. The amount of polling stations increased by 61 percent from the 2017 presidential election, and 103 international observers came to monitor the polls and ensure election security.