Guinea-Bissau Approves New Constitution that Expands Presidential Powers
The draft would let the president lead the cabinet and appoint the prime minister, while reducing lawmakers from 102 to 65, officials said.
- Provisional results announced Tuesday show Guinea-Bissau voters approved a new constitution by 70%, expanding presidential powers and reforming electoral rules ahead of the presidential election scheduled for December.
- Military officers, who seized power in a November 2025 coup following a disputed election, initiated the referendum to reshape the political system before returning the country to civilian rule.
- Under the new constitution, the head of state gains authority to appoint ministers and dissolve parliament, while the number of lawmakers is reduced from 102 to 65.
- Opposition leader Domingos Simoes Pereira and the PAIGC boycotted the vote, claiming the reforms would "kill our freedom and bury our democracy" by concentrating authority in the presidency.
- Attention now turns to the December 6 presidential election, though residents remain divided, with some expressing concerns over political reconciliation rather than the constitutional changes.
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32 Articles
The election, which took place on Sunday in a tense political climate, preceded by a few months the general elections scheduled for 6 December for a return of civilians to power. The opposition had called for a boycott.
After Zimbabwe, Guinea, Togo, Uganda or Chad in recent years, this is the latest example of an African country that has wished to amend or change its Constitution to extend the term of office, remove the age limits or strengthen the prerogatives of the executive power. According to these results announced by the country's National Electoral Commission on Tuesday after the counting of all votes in the referendum held on Sunday, the yes prevails b…
Guinea-Bissau approves new constitution that expands presidential powers
This election, held on Sunday, was a crucial stage in this country led by a junta since 26 November, which is supposed to organize the return of civilians to power during a presidential election scheduled for 6 December.
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