Guinea-Bissau Approves Controversial Referendum Expanding Presidential Powers Ahead of Elections

A constitutional referendum in Guinea-Bissau has successfully passed, granting significantly broader powers to the president despite mounting skepticism from critics and civil society groups. According to the National Electoral Commission, 70 percent of the votes cast last week supported the constitutional changes, with voter turnout reaching nearly 60 percent.

The referendum was initiated by the military government, which came to power following a coup in November last year. This vote occurred just ahead of the upcoming general election scheduled for the end of the year, which is intended to restore civilian rule to the nation.

Despite the official figures released by the electoral commission, major international news agencies reported that polling stations appeared largely empty. The main opposition party, PAIGC, had actively called for a boycott of the referendum, and together with various civil society groups, they have strongly denounced the vote as a serious threat to Guinea-Bissau’s ongoing transition to democracy.

In contrast, the military rulers maintain that these sweeping changes are necessary to stabilize key state institutions prior to the December vote, which will decide both the presidency and parliamentary seats. Under the newly approved rules, the president gains the authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet, effectively weakening the nation's traditional power-sharing system. Additionally, the president is now empowered to create and abolish ministries, as well as dissolve parliament under specific conditions. Previously, the prime minister managed day-to-day government affairs and was elected directly by parliament.

Further structural changes include a reduction in parliamentary seats from 102 to 65, alongside a sharp decline in electoral constituencies from 29 down to 12.

Critics continue to accuse the military government of maneuvering to concentrate executive power, enabling the current rulers to reshape the political landscape in their own favor before the December elections. These widespread concerns are deeply rooted in a recent wave of military takeovers across the region, as West and Central Africa have witnessed nine coups since 2020, with military leaders consistently claiming their interventions are driven by worsening security and the desire to safeguard democracy.