Guinea-Bissau has approved a new constitution expanding presidential powers and changing electoral rules ahead of a presidential election scheduled for December.
The referendum, held on Sunday, was approved by 70 per cent of voters, while 30 per cent voted against the reforms.
According to the National Electoral Commission 544,060 people participated in the referendum, representing nearly 60 per cent of registered voters.
The new constitution gives the president powers to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet, create or abolish ministries and dissolve parliament in the event of a grave political crisis.
Under the existing constitution, parliament appoints the prime minister, who then forms the cabinet.
The reforms provide the military government, which seized power in a coup last November, with a framework to reshape the country’s political system ahead of the December presidential election.
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However, the main opposition African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) boycotted the referendum, arguing that the process lacked adequate political and institutional safeguards.
PAIGC leader Domingos Simoes Pereira, in a video message, accused supporters of the referendum of seeking to undermine democracy.
A spokesperson for the military government was not immediately available for comment.
The new constitution also reduces the size of parliament from 102 to 65 seats and cuts the number of electoral constituencies from 29 to 12.
It further requires presidential candidates to have lived continuously in Guinea-Bissau for at least five years before contesting an election.
The coup was the ninth military takeover recorded in West and Central Africa in five years, adding to Guinea-Bissau’s long history of political instability and military interventions.
Reuters
