Guinea-Bissau voters have approved a new constitution that critics say will undermine democracy, according to provisional results from a referendum held on Sunday, but the changes significantly expand presidential powers ahead of elections scheduled for December.

Approval of Sweeping Constitutional Changes

According to provisional results, 70% of voters approved sweeping changes in the tiny west African state’s first constitutional amendment since revisions that ended the one-party socialist state more than three decades ago. This marks a major shift in the country’s political framework.

The turnout for Sunday’s referendum was reportedly over 55%, amounting to an estimated 544,060 people — this level of participation indicates a high degree of public engagement with the constitutional changes.

Key Provisions of the New Constitution

The new constitution will reduce the number of seats in parliament from 102 to 65 and cut electoral constituencies from 29 to 12; these changes are expected to alter the political scene and could favor certain groups over others.

New provisions will require presidential candidates to have lived continuously in the country for at least five years before the vote — this requirement is believed to target diaspora-based politicians with significant followings.

The referendum’s outcome is expected to pave the way for December’s elections, which many hope will steady the political field in Guinea-Bissau; the country has been through a series of politically turbulent periods since its declaration of independence from Portugal was globally recognized in 1974.

Since 1974, Guinea-Bissau has had at least 10 coup attempts, half of which have been successful; the most recent came after last November’s disputed presidential elections. Both candidates declared themselves winners, citing electoral malpractice by the other’s camp.

Political Reactions and Concerns

The military forcefully intervened after the disputed elections, setting up a transitional ruling council headed by Gen Horta Inta-A Na Man, a former military chief of general staff. Na Man said: “What we want after this referendum is to allow whoever wins the elections to see out their mandate without hindrance.”

Nelson Moreira, the second vice-president of the transitional council, said the outgoing constitution, which came into effect in 1993, had often been cited as “the cause of instability in Guinea.” This suggests that the new constitution is intended to address previous governance issues.

The leading opposition party, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), which was barred from fielding a presidential candidate in the 2025 election, had asked its supporters to boycott the referendum. The party called the process a democratic farce.

“What will happen on 30 August is the continuation of the coup d’état carried out on 26 November,” its leader, Domingos Simões Pereira, had said, though this statement highlights the deep political divisions within the country and the skepticism surrounding the legitimacy of the referendum.