Guinea-Bissau Referendum Approves New Constitution Expanding Presidential Powers

Guinea-Bissau voters approved a sweeping new constitution that significantly expands presidential powers, according to provisional results announced by the National Electoral Commission on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. The constitutional referendum was held on Sunday, August 30, 2026, with 70 percent of voters casting ballots in favor of the reforms and 30 percent opposed, per election commission data. Approximately 544,060 citizens participated in the vote, representing nearly 60 percent of registered voters.

The newly approved constitution allows the president to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and the cabinet, create or abolish government ministries, chair the Council of Ministers, and dissolve parliament in the event of a grave political crisis. Under the previous constitutional framework, the legislature named the prime minister, who then appointed the cabinet, an arrangement the military government claimed led to chronic political instability.

Alongside executive power consolidation, the constitutional overhaul reduces the size of the National People's Assembly from 102 seats to 65 seats, according to the electoral commission's published texts. The number of electoral constituencies is also reduced from 29 to 12.

The referendum establishes stringent new candidacy requirements. Presidential candidates are now mandated to have lived continuously in Guinea-Bissau for the preceding five years and must pay a deposit of 50 million West African CFA francs, equivalent to $90,000. Additionally, political parties must register a minimum of 5,000 members, including at least 300 members in each of the country's regions, to sponsor a presidential candidate. The referendum also establishes a newly formed Constitutional Court.

The vote comes less than 10 months after a military coup in November 2025, which seized power following a disputed election. A presidential election is scheduled for December 2026 to return the West African nation to civilian rule.

Polling stations in the capital of Bissau were largely empty on Sunday, with some residents reporting to local media that they were unaware of the referendum or its legislative purpose.

Final results from the Supreme Court are currently pending, though the National Electoral Commission reported that no legal challenges have been received so far. The specific identity of the military officers who seized power in November 2025 remains unconfirmed in official announcements, beyond General Horta N'Tam serving as transitional president.

The main opposition PAIGC party urged its supporters to boycott the referendum. PAIGC leader Domingos Simoes Pereira stated in a video message that the referendum's backers sought to "kill our freedom and bury our democracy," arguing that the process lacked adequate political and institutional safeguards.

Conversely, General Tomás Djassi, head of the armed forces, defended the constitutional changes. General Djassi argued that "In a community, there is only one leader. No community or village can have two leaders. We revised the constitution to avoid constant conflict between the president of the republic and the prime minister."

Guinea-Bissau's constitutional overhaul follows a broader regional pattern in Africa where leaders have amended or overhauled national charters to extend term limits or expand executive powers, mirroring recent changes in Zimbabwe, Guinea, Togo, Uganda, and Chad. The broader West African region has experienced a succession of military coups since 2020, with Guinea-Bissau's November 2025 takeover representing one of several government overthrows.

For the citizens of Guinea-Bissau, the newly approved constitution fundamentally alters the balance of power by concentrating authority in the presidency, directly impacting democratic checks and balances ahead of the December 2026 presidential election. For the international community, particularly regional bodies like ECOWAS, the consolidation of power by military-backed authorities raises ongoing concerns regarding democratic governance in West Africa.