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Guinea-Bissau constitutional referendum crisis

Updated 5 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-08-29 04:47 UTC → 2026-08-29 05:00 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Guinea-Bissau is scheduled to hold a constitutional referendum on August 30, 2026, to decide on a transition from a parliamentary to a presidential system. Approved by the National Transitional Council following the November 2025 military coup, the proposed constitution would grant the president expanded authority to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and government members, as well as the power to dissolve parliament. Alongside these changes, new electoral laws would reduce parliamentary seats from 102 to 65 and consolidate electoral districts from 29 to 12. The reforms also impose restrictions on the diaspora, who may vote for the National Assembly but are barred from presidential elections. Furthermore, presidential candidates must have maintained effective residence in the country for at least six months prior to the election. As the vote approaches, opposition leaders, led by Domingos Simões Pereira of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), have called for a total boycott. Pereira ~~characterized~~ has denounced the referendum as an “absolute farce” and a “coup against democracy and freedom,” arguing that current institutional and security conditions are unsuitable for a fair consultation. Civil society organizations have joined the opposition in calling for a boycott, citing restricted freedoms and the absence of a fair campaign environment. Critics warn that the referendum may lead to hyper-presidentialism and note that the timing—just months before the December 6 general elections—could potentially violate ECOWAS protocols regarding electoral law changes. While Transition President General Horta Guirassy has called for “massive voter mobilization,” ~~civil society and human rights groups continue to question~~ the ~~vote’s legitimacy, noting that~~ legitimacy of the ~~“no” campaign faces significant operational restrictions.~~ vote remains heavily contested.

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