Guinea-Bissau to vote on law to expand presidential powers

Guinea-Bissau will hold a constitutional referendum on August 30 on proposed reforms that will expand presidential powers and reshape the rules for elections scheduled for December.

The West African country is currently led by military officers who carried out a coup in 2026.

Under the current constitution, the legislature appoints the prime minister, who forms the cabinet.

However, the proposed constitution would empower the president to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet.

The president would also be able to create or abolish government ministries, chair the council of ministers, and dissolve parliament in the event of a grave political crisis, according to the proposed constitution.

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

A professor at Lusofona University in Guinea-Bissau, Manuel Nobre de Barros,

said the reduction in electoral constituencies could curb the influence of political parties with strong local bases.

He said the broader reforms would significantly alter the balance of power between the presidency and the legislature.

“The changes give the president absolute power under the new constitution, with no political opposition,” Mr De Barros said.

The proposed constitution would also require presidential candidates to have resided permanently in Guinea-Bissau for the previous five years, a condition not included in the current constitution.

The coup in November 2025 took place a day before the electoral commission was due to announce the results of a presidential election.

The referendum is expected to determine the constitutional framework ahead of the planned December elections.
(NAN)