Guinea-Bissau is set to hold a referendum on Sunday on proposed constitutional changes that would significantly expand the powers of the president, months after the military seized power and suspended the country’s electoral process.
The proposed changes would replace the current parliamentary system with a presidential system, giving the head of state the power to appoint and dismiss the prime minister and members of government, as well as dissolve parliament.
The referendum comes as the military junta prepares for presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December 6, which it says are intended to return the country to civilian rule.
The army took power in November 2025, days after a presidential election, overthrowing then-President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and halting the electoral process. The junta’s National Transitional Council has since unanimously approved the proposed constitutional amendment, which will now be presented to voters for approval.
Voters will answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to whether they agree with the new constitution approved by the transitional council. The military authorities say the reforms are aimed at stabilising state institutions and ending recurring conflicts between the presidency and the prime minister’s office.
But opposition parties and civil society groups have criticised the referendum, questioning the legitimacy of an unelected transitional authority to rewrite the constitution. The opposition has also urged voters to boycott the exercise, citing what it described as restrictions on political freedoms.
The PAIGC, the historic party that led Guinea-Bissau to independence from Portugal in 1974, said political activities had been suspended, party headquarters closed and political groups prevented from campaigning.
Supporters of the constitutional changes argue that the presidential system would eliminate institutional deadlocks that have repeatedly disrupted governance.
Guinea-Bissau has experienced five coups and several attempted coups since gaining independence in 1974, making Sunday’s referendum a major test for the country’s return to civilian rule.
