After the military coup led by Mohamed Siad Barre on October 21, 1969, Somalia entered a decade without a formal constitution. The Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) led by President Mohamed Siad Barre abolished the 1960 Constitution and dissolved the parliamentary institutions, governing the country through decrees and military orders. During this period, Somalia was declared a socialist state, and policies were implemented to centralize power under his leadership. The Supreme Revolutionary Council justified its actions as necessary to combat corruption and tribalism while promoting national unity and socialism. However, the absence of a constitutional framework meant the country lacked legal protections for civil liberties or political participation, which reinforced Siad Barre's authoritarian rule. In 1979, after ten years of military rule, a new constitution was adopted through a national referendum that was not democratic. The 1979 Constitution established a presidential system of government, further solidifying Barre's authoritarian regime. It declared the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP) as the sole political party, effectively banning the formation of opposition parties and concentrating all political power in the hands of President Mohamed Siad Barre. Although the constitution included provisions for rights and freedoms, these were largely symbolic, as Barre's regime suppressed opposition or dissent with severe punishment. The authoritarian nature of the government separates many segments of Somali society, leading to growing unrest. By the late 1980s, widespread discontent with Barre's rule culminated in a violent uprising, ultimately forcing him out of office in 1991. The 1979 Constitution, designed to legitimize Barre's rule, ultimately contributed to the political instability and societal collapse that Somalia faced.