Guinea-Bissau referendum nods to expansion of presidential powers

What the report says

Guinea-Bissau’s electoral commission says a referendum has approved a new constitution that would substantially expand presidential authority, according to Al Jazeera’s report citing AFP and Reuters. The commission said 70 percent of votes cast last week supported the changes, with turnout close to 60 percent. The vote took place in the capital and across the country ahead of a general election expected in December, which the military authorities say will begin a return to civilian rule.

The referendum was proposed by the military government that took power in a coup in November last year. Under the new constitutional rules, the president would gain the power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet, as well as create or abolish ministries and dissolve parliament under certain conditions. The changes would also reduce the number of parliamentary seats from 102 to 65 and cut the number of constituencies from 29 to 12.

The main opposition party, PAIGC, and civil society groups have rejected the process, warning that it could weaken democratic checks and slow the transition back to civilian governance. PAIGC called for a boycott, and international news agencies reported largely empty polling stations, though the electoral commission gave a much higher turnout figure.

The vote matters because Guinea-Bissau has experienced repeated political instability, and the reform appears aimed at reshaping the balance of power before the December polls. More broadly, the country is part of a wider pattern of military-led political transitions in West and Central Africa in recent years.