Power struggles have crippled West African governance for decades, but few places know instability quite like Guinea-Bissau. When citizens headed to the polls, they weren't just casting routine ballots. They were deciding whether to overhaul the nation's political blueprint and hand sweeping authority to the presidency.
The military-appointed National Transitional Council pushed a constitutional rewrite designed to shatter years of executive deadlock. For years, a messy power-sharing arrangement split authority between the president and a prime minister pulled from the parliamentary majority. The result? Constant friction, dissolved parliaments, and repeated government collapses. Only one president managed to finish a full term since 1994. You might also find this related story useful: Why Trump Sharing An Ai Video Of Kharg Island Changes The Rules Of Modern Political Messaging.
The military junta that seized control following a disputed election aimed to fix that broken dynamic. Under the fresh constitutional framework, the executive landscape looks entirely different.
What the New Constitution Changes
The approved amendments completely shift how the government operates. The president now functions as both head of state and direct head of the executive branch. As reported in detailed articles by The Guardian, the results are significant.
Gone are the days when a prime minister could comfortably rival the president's mandate. The updated rules give the head of state direct power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet members. Furthermore, the president can unilaterally dissolve parliament during severe political crises and create or abolish ministries at will.
Parliament didn't escape the overhaul either. Lawmakers slashed the size of the national legislature from 102 seats down to 65. They also reduced the number of electoral constituencies from 29 to 12.
Critics argued these measures weaken essential checks and balances. The African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) and other opposition groups called for a complete boycott. They warned that concentrating authority in the executive office strips away legislative independence and shields military interests from civilian oversight. Civil society leaders also pointed out that the drafting process lacked broad public consultations with traditional authorities or political parties.
The Vote Count and What Comes Next
Despite opposition resistance and early morning rain showers that slowed initial turnout in Bissau, the National Electoral Commission reported solid participation. Roughly 915,000 voters were eligible to cast ballots. When polling stations closed, election workers immediately began the painstaking centralisation of results.
The outcome proved decisive. Official tallies revealed that roughly 70 percent of voters endorsed the changes, successfully pushing the new charter into law.
This constitutional shift serves as a critical milestone before general elections scheduled for December 6. Those upcoming civilian elections carry the heavy burden of restoring constitutional rule after the November 2025 military takeover.
You can watch the Africanews Report on Guinea-Bissau Referendum to see footage of the ballot counting and public reaction following the vote.
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