Guinea-Bissau voters approve new constitution expanding presidential powers

Presidente transicional da Guiné-Bissau, Gen Horta Inta-A Na Man, faz gestos após votar em uma urna de votação no Bairro de Luanda no domingo. Fotografia: ReutersView imagem em tela cheia.

Prefer the Guardian on GoogleGuinea-Bissau voters have approved a new constitution significantly expanding presidential powers ahead of elections due in December.

According to provisional results, 70% of voters approved sweeping changes in the tiny west African state’s first constitutional amendment since revisions that ended the one-party socialist state more than three decades ago.

A participação no referendo de domingo foi relatada em mais de 55%, totalizando cerca de 544. 060 pessoas.

The new constitution will reduce the number of seats in parliament from 102 to 65 and cut electoral constituencies from 29 to 12. New provisions will require presidential candidates to have lived continuously in the country for at least five years before the vote, which is believed to target diaspora-based politicians with significant followings.

O resultado do referendo deve abrir caminho para as eleições de dezembro, que muitos esperam estabilizar o cenário político da Guiné-Bissau, que tem passado por uma série de períodos politicamente turbulentos desde que sua declaração de independência de Portugal foi reconhecida globalmente em 1974.

Since then it has had at least 10 coup attempts, half of which have been successful.

O mais recente ocorreu após as disputadas eleições presidenciais de novembro passado. Ambos os candidatos declararam-se vencedores, citando irregularidades eleitorais por parte do outro lado.

The military forcefully intervened, setting up a transitional ruling council headed by Gen Horta Inta-A Na Man, a former military chief of general staff.

Na Man disse: 'O que queremos depois deste referendo é permitir que quem vença as eleições cumpra seu mandato sem impedimentos.

Nelson Moreira, the second vice-president of the transitional council, said the outgoing constitution, which came into effect in 1993, had often been cited as “the cause of instability in Guinea”.

The leading opposition party, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which was barred from fielding a presidential candidate in the 2025 election, had asked its supporters to boycott the referendum, which it called a democratic farce.