Guinea-Bissau referendum approves new constitution that expands president's powers

Provisional results released by Guinea‑Bissau’s electoral committee indicated that 70 percent of voters endorsed the constitutional changes in Sunday’s referendum, while 30 percent opposed them. Turnout was reported at roughly 60 percent. The revised constitution augments presidential authority at the expense of the prime minister, shifting the balance of power in the country’s semi‑presidential system. Previously, the legislature appointed a prime minister from the parliamentary majority, who then formed a government—a practice the ruling military authorities said had contributed to political instability. Under the new framework, the president gains greater control over the government, although the five‑year presidential term and the two‑term limit remain unchanged. Military officials argued that the amendments are essential to end recurring disputes between presidents and prime ministers. The constitution also reduces the number of parliamentary seats from 102 to 65 and cuts the electoral constituencies from 29 to 12. It introduces additional eligibility requirements for presidential candidates, including a stipulation that they must have resided continuously in Guinea‑Bissau for five years preceding an election. The changes precede the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December, which the military authorities say are intended to restore civilian rule. However, the referendum faced strong opposition from the country’s main opposition party, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which urged its supporters to boycott the vote. PAIGC warned that the revisions risk concentrating excessive power in the presidency. PAIGC leader Domingos Simões Pereira accused those behind the referendum of seeking to undermine democracy and political freedoms. Some activists told the BBC that the referendum was a sham and claimed that 90 percent of registered voters did not participate. The vote follows a turbulent period in Guinea‑Bissau’s politics. In November 2025 the military seized power after a disputed presidential election in which then‑President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias both declared victory. Junta leaders said they acted to thwart a plot by unnamed politicians who had "'the support of a well-known drug baron'" to destabilise the country. The takeover added Guinea‑Bissau to a growing list of West and Central African states that have experienced military coups in recent years. December’s elections will serve as a key test of whether the military authorities follow through on their pledge to restore civilian rule and how the expanded presidential powers reshape the nation’s fragile political system.