Guinea-Bissau Holds Landmark Referendum on Constitutional Overhaul Amid Political Turmoil

Polling stations opened at 08:00 CET with voter turnout initially sluggish across several regions. Security forces, including members of the National Guard and police units, were deployed at strategic locations throughout the capital to maintain order during the voting process.

This referendum is being held against a backdrop of significant political turmoil and faces fierce opposition challenges. Critics contend that the constitutional changes were already approved and published in the Official Gazette before public consultation occurred, and that the document was drafted by a military junta serving as a transitional government without adequate input from stakeholders.

“No one was consulted, neither political parties nor civil-society organisations, let alone traditional and religious leaders, and so on. So everything was done in secret,” said Bubacar Turé, head of the Guinea-Bissau Human Rights League, speaking to Euronews.

Turé also emphasized that supporters of the “no” campaign were not permitted to conduct their advocacy efforts. “This is not an environment of freedom,” he stated, which has contributed to the opposition’s calls for a voter boycott.

Political analysts maintain that the military administration lacks the necessary legitimacy to amend the constitution, a stance that has intensified public dissatisfaction.

“The fundamental question is: who drafted this constitution, and on whose behalf? To protect which interests or institutions? Who stands to gain from this constitution?” remarked Paulino Quadé, a political analyst from Guinea-Bissau, in comments to the Associated Press.

The military administration assumed control in November 2025 following contentious elections in which both former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias declared victory.

Following the military takeover, General Horta N’Tam was appointed as transitional president under a provisional constitutional charter that explicitly prohibits his participation in future elections.

If approved, the new constitution prepared by the self-styled National Transitional Council would grant expanded powers to the presidency while reducing parliamentary representation, among other significant modifications.

The ruling military junta unanimously endorsed a constitutional amendment to transform the country’s system from parliamentary to presidential, and citizens are now being asked to ratify these changes. The proposed text calls for eliminating the previous framework in which the prime minister emerged from the parliamentary majority, a structure that historically created complex power-sharing arrangements. The new constitution would also authorize the head of state to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet members, as well as dissolve parliament.

These measures have drawn criticism from opposition groups, who argue they would diminish the influence of political parties and undermine the popular will.

“This constitution significantly weakens the prime minister and the government, subordinates the National People’s Assembly and the political parties, and undermines, or even ignores, the popular will expressed at the ballot box, bringing all the inherent risks of division and political and social tensions,” stated Muniro Conté, spokesperson for the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), in remarks to the Associated Press.

Military authorities contend that reducing parliament from 102 to 65 seats would facilitate more meaningful and efficient legislative debates, while the proposed enhanced presidential powers would establish clearer authority for the head of state over the prime minister—a relationship they identify as a persistent source of national instability.

Coup after coup

Since achieving independence from Portugal in 1973, West Africa’s only Portuguese-speaking nation has experienced multiple coups and attempted coups. Last year’s military intervention in Guinea-Bissau further compounded the region’s democratic challenges, contributing to the increasing number of West African countries under military governance.

In November 2025, the armed forces seized power several days after presidential elections, ousting then-President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and suspending the electoral process as vote counting approached completion and the likely winner became apparent.

Several African leaders characterized the situation as a “staged” power grab after military officials permitted the former president to hold a press conference announcing his removal from office, and allowed him to depart the country under seemingly favorable conditions. Skeptical observers suggest Embaló ceded power to the military after recognizing he was losing the election.

During the 2023 legislative elections, Embaló himself dissolved the parliament, which was controlled by opposition parties, citing what he described as an attempted coup, and governed through decree until his eventual ouster by the military.

This referendum follows similar constitutional initiatives in other African nations, including Zimbabwe and Chad, which have amended their constitutions in recent years to extend presidential terms, remove age limits, or strengthen executive authority.

With a population of approximately 2.2 million, Guinea-Bissau has endured five coups and numerous attempted coups since 1974. Despite possessing the world’s highest ratio of natural wealth per capita according to World Bank data, more than half of its citizens live in poverty.

Of the nation’s total population exceeding 2 million, approximately 915,000 registered voters are eligible to participate in today’s referendum.

Voting concludes at 17:00 GMT, with preliminary results anticipated on Tuesday.

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