BISSAU, Sept. 3 — Voters in Guinea-Bissau have approved a constitutional referendum granting the president expanded powers, with the “yes” camp winning 70 percent of the vote, according to results announced Tuesday by the country’s National Electoral Commission. The vote came less than 10 months after the army seized power in the West African nation, part of a transitional process ahead of a presidential election scheduled for December 6 that is meant to restore civilian rule.
The new text abandons the old system in which the prime minister came from the parliamentary majority — an arrangement that had led to uncomfortable power-sharing. It will allow the head of state to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and members of government, and to dissolve parliament.
The junta, led by transitional president General Horta N’Tam, says the constitutional change will stabilize institutions before the elections. Under the transitional charter, General N’Tam is barred from running for president. He called on young people to vote “massively” as he cast his own ballot on Sunday.
A tense political climate
Segments of the political class and civil society vehemently opposed the sweeping constitutional rewrite by an unelected transitional government. The opposition had urged voters to boycott the referendum “in a context of restrictions on public freedoms.” Carmen Izaura Lobo, chairperson of the National Electoral Commission, described the vote as a success, citing the “organizational capacity, professionalism and dedication” of teams on the ground, and praised the “transparency” and “credibility” of the process. Turnout appeared sporadic across the country, however.
In five Bissau polling stations visited by AFP in the afternoon, voters turned up irregularly in small numbers, with intense morning rain dissuading some.
History of instability
The army took power in Guinea-Bissau in November 2024, just days after a presidential election, overthrowing then-president Umaro Sissoco Embalo and suspending the electoral process. Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest countries, has experienced five coups and a series of attempted coups since independence in 1974. The referendum follows a pattern seen in other African nations, including Zimbabwe, Guinea, Togo, Uganda, and Chad, where leaders have sought to amend or overhaul constitutions to extend term limits, remove age restrictions, or expand executive powers.
Final results are expected to be announced in the coming days by the Supreme Court, which has not received any legal challenges over the vote so far. All eyes now turn to the December 6 presidential election, which will test whether the transition can deliver the civilian rule the country has been promised.
