Guinea-Bissau votes in a referendum to move to a strong presidential system

People in Guinea-Bissau are voting on Sunday in a constitutional referendum on moving to a strong presidential system to replace the current semi-parliamentary system, in a country ruled by a junta that is supposed to organize a presidential election in early December.

Following Zimbabwe, Guinea, Togo, Uganda and Chad in recent years, this is the latest example of an African country that has sought to amend or change its Constitution to extend the term of office, remove age limits or strengthen the prerogatives of the executive branch.

This referendum will take place from 07:00 local time (and GMT) to 17:00. It represents a key step before the general elections scheduled for December 6 for a return to civilian rule, at a time when the political climate is tense in the country.

The opposition has called for a boycott of the referendum, including the PAIGC, the historic party that led the country to independence in 1974.

The PAIGC denounces the organization of a referendum "in a context of restrictions on public freedoms." "Political activities are suspended, the headquarters of political parties are closed, and political groups are prohibited from participating in the campaign," it stated in a press release.

Guinea-Bissau has been ruled since November 26, the day before the expected announcement of the provisional results of the presidential and legislative elections, by military officers who suspended the electoral process.

This Portuguese-speaking coastal country in West Africa has experienced five coups and a host of attempted coups since its independence.

In a message before the referendum, the head of the junta in Guinea-Bissau, General Horta N'Tam, urged his compatriots to "a massive and orderly participation" in "this important democratic exercise".

"Vote for a new stage, to strengthen institutions and for a stable, united Guinea-Bissau confident in the future," he declared.

The proposed new Constitution aims primarily to replace the semi-parliamentary system with a strong presidential regime, granting the head of state the power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister, the government, and dissolve Parliament.

The stated objective of the transitional authorities is to stabilize the institutions before the presidential election scheduled for December 6.

The National Transitional Council (CNT), the legislative body whose 65 members were appointed by the junta, unanimously adopted an amendment to the Constitution in January 2026, a month and a half after the coup that overthrew President Umaro Sissoco Embalo on November 26.

On Sunday, voters must answer yes or no to this question: "Do you agree with the entry into force of the new Constitution approved by the National Transitional Council?"

- "Dangerous for democracy" -

The new text proposes abandoning the old model where the Prime Minister was chosen from the parliamentary majority, which had led to difficult periods of cohabitation, such as after the 2023 legislative elections. President Embalo then dissolved the opposition-dominated Parliament in December 2023, following what he described as an attempted coup. He ruled by decree until his removal from office in November 2025.

Nelson Moreira, a member of the CNT, said the draft of the new Constitution would help avoid conflicts between the presidency and the Prime Minister's office, which have undermined the country's stability in the past, he told AFP.

"This popular consultation serves as a tool to rewrite the fundamental law, which is riddled with gaps," he stated.

According to political analyst Malam Fati, "the leaders of the transition believe that this reform will put an end to the frequent institutional blockages that have marked the political life of Guinea-Bissau."

But part of the political class and civil society vehemently contests the in-depth rewriting of the Constitution by an unelected transitional power.

"The presidential system that the junta wants to impose will concentrate all power in the hands of one man. This is dangerous for our democracy," Abubacar Ture, president of the Guinea-Bissau League for Human Rights, recently told the press.

The country's borders have been closed since Sunday at 00:00 local time and throughout the day, to "guarantee order and security during the referendum", the Interior Ministry said.