BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau (AP) — Residents of Guinea-Bissau headed to the polls on Sunday to vote on a referendum that would grant expanded presidential powers ahead of a scheduled general election in December. The vote marks the country’s return to democratic governance following its most recent coup.
Voter turnout remained low across numerous polling stations after opposition groups called for a boycott, arguing that the measure would consolidate power within the military government.
The military assumed control in November of last year after a disputed election resulted in competing claims of victory between former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias.
Should it be approved, the new constitution drafted by the self-styled National Transitional Council would expand executive authority and reduce parliamentary representation, among other provisions.
Authorities contend that reducing the parliament from 102 to 65 seats would facilitate more effective debate, while enhanced presidential powers would clarify the president’s superiority over the prime minister—a dynamic they argue has fostered political instability. Opposition groups vehemently reject these assertions.
“A community cannot have two leaders; it requires a single authority figure. We amended the constitution to eliminate the persistent conflict between the president and the prime minister. The law has been clarified to affirm that the president of the republic is the national symbol and the sole candidate in presidential elections,” stated Gen. Tomás Djassi, head of the armed forces.
Conversely, opposition leaders urged voters to boycott the referendum, condemning it as a vehicle for the military head to amass unchecked power and labeling it a “source of political instability at all levels.”
“This constitution significantly diminishes the prime minister and the government, subordinates the National People’s Assembly and political parties, and disregards the popular will expressed at the polls, bringing with it substantial risks of political and social division,” Muniro Conté, spokesperson for the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, told The Associated Press.
The previous year’s coup exacerbated West Africa’s democratic crisis, adding Guinea-Bissau to the increasing number of nations in the region governed by military administrations.
Continental leaders denounced the takeover as a “staged” event, particularly after the military permitted the former president to hold a press conference announcing his deposition and allowed him to depart the country under seemingly favorable conditions. Skeptics suggest that Embaló yielded power to the military upon realizing he was losing the election.
Since achieving independence from Portugal in 1973, the sole Portuguese-speaking nation in West Africa has endured a series of coups and attempted overthrows. Prior to last year’s military takeover, a failed coup had occurred just one month earlier.
Despite possessing the highest per capita natural wealth in West Africa, according to the World Bank, more than half of the country’s approximately 2.2 million residents live in poverty. Furthermore, the nation serves as a major hub for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe, an issue that experts argue fuels its ongoing political instability.
Nearly 915,000 voters were registered for the referendum, though a majority indicated that the constitution was not their primary concern.
Bacar Camará, a high school teacher in the capital, Bissau, stated he would not be participating in the vote and disapproved of the referendum due to the fraught political and social climate.
“The transitional government should prioritize establishing conditions for greater understanding and reconciliation among the Guinean people,” he remarked.
Another Bissau resident, Carolina Djeme, noted that the proposed constitution was unfamiliar to her.
“I will cast my ballot on Sunday, but I will vote ‘no’ because, honestly, I believe this is the case for many other citizens—I do not know the new constitution well enough to vote ‘yes,'” she stated.
Political analysts assert that the military government lacks the legitimacy to enact constitutional changes, a sentiment that has sparked widespread discontent among the populace.
“The fundamental question remains: Who drafted this constitution, and on whose behalf? Whose interests or institutions does it aim to protect? Who stands to benefit from its implementation?” asked Paulino Quadé, a Guinean political analyst.
