Guinea-Bissau to vote on new constitution that would expand presidential powers

Guinea-Bissau, currently under military rule following last year’s coup, is set to hold a constitutional referendum on August 30 that could significantly increase presidential powers and change the framework for parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for December.

Under the proposed constitution, the president would gain the authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and members of the cabinet. The president would also be empowered to create or dissolve government ministries, chair the Council of Ministers, dissolve parliament during a serious political crisis and dismiss the government under certain conditions, according to a copy of the proposed document reviewed by Reuters.

The reforms would also reduce the size of parliament from 102 seats to 65 and cut the number of electoral constituencies from 29 to 12.

The referendum comes after a military coup in November, which occurred just one day before electoral authorities were due to announce the results of a presidential election.

Manuel Nobre de Barros, a professor at Lusofona University in Guinea-Bissau, said reducing the number of constituencies could weaken the influence of political parties that rely heavily on strong local support.

He added that the proposed reforms would fundamentally shift the balance of power between the presidency and parliament, arguing that they could give the president extensive authority with limited political checks.

The proposed constitution would also introduce a new eligibility requirement for presidential candidates. Anyone seeking the presidency would have to have lived continuously in Guinea-Bissau for at least five years before the election.

The current constitution does not impose a residency requirement, instead requiring presidential candidates to be citizens by birth, at least 35 years old and in full possession of their civil and political rights.