Guinea-Bissau voters approve constitution expanding presidential powers

Guinea‑Bissau’s electorate voted in favor of a new constitution that will reshape the country’s political landscape, approving the measure by an estimated 70 percent in provisional results. The amendment, the first since the 1990s reforms that ended the one‑party socialist era, concentrates executive authority in the presidency, expands the president’s veto power, and introduces stricter eligibility criteria for presidential candidates.

The constitution also reduces the number of seats in the National Assembly, a move that critics say could diminish parliamentary oversight, and imposes new rules on candidate registration and campaign financing. These changes come as the nation prepares for its December elections, with the government arguing that the reforms will bring stability and clearer governance, while opposition groups warn of a drift toward authoritarianism.

With the constitutional overhaul now in place, Guinea‑Bissau’s political actors face a new electoral environment that will test the balance of power between the executive and the legislature in the upcoming December vote.