On Sept. 14, residents of the Bangsamoro in the southern Philippines will elect regional parliamentary representatives. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Georgi Engelbrecht explains the importance of this step in the peace process between the national government and ex-rebels in the region.

In a statement released on Sept. 8, Duyog Bangsamoro, an independent multisectoral alliance of regional and national civil society organizations, noted a “persistent perception” on the ground regarding the national government’s meddling to influence the outcomes of BARMM polls and the “region’s political landscape” post-election.