Guinea-Bissau Referendum Approves Expanded Presidential Powers
· World · Al Jazeera, The Guardian, BBC News
A referendum in Guinea-Bissau has approved a new constitution that significantly expands the powers of the president. The National Electoral Commission reported that 70 percent of voters supported the changes, with a turnout of nearly 60 percent. Under the new rules, the president gains the authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet, while also holding the power to dissolve parliament. The military government, which seized power in a coup last November, proposed these changes ahead of general elections scheduled for the end of the year. Opposition groups, including the PAIGC, have denounced the vote as a threat to the nation's democratic transition.
Why it matters
The constitutional shift centralises authority in the presidency, effectively dismantling the existing power-sharing system and raising concerns about the future of civilian rule in Guinea-Bissau.
Read the original report — Al Jazeera
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