Guinea-Bissau regime calls referendum to cement president's powers

Guinea-Bissau's transitional president, General Horta Inta-A, has officially called a national referendum for August 30 to vote on a new constitution designed to bolster the powers of the head of state. The popular consultation, which has received a favorable opinion from the Supreme Court of Justice, will be conducted through universal, direct, secret, and personal suffrage.

The core of the proposed constitutional reform involves restructuring the executive branch. If approved by voters, the president would gain the authority to join the Council of Ministers, though not formally head the government. Crucially, the president would also be granted the discretionary power to appoint the prime minister, irrespective of election results or parliamentary majorities.

General Horta Inta-A, who assumed interim command following a coup d'état, justified the referendum by citing strict adherence to current legal procedures. However, the opposition has voiced strong criticism, accusing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of "unacceptable interference" in the country's internal affairs.

This criticism stems from ECOWAS envoys publicly validating and applauding the military junta's roadmap for the referendum. The opposition views this endorsement as an international legitimization of the November 2025 coup, a stance they find contradictory given Guinea-Bissau's formal suspension from ECOWAS, the African Union (AU), and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP).

Guinea-Bissau is widely recognized as one of Africa's most unstable nations, having experienced four coups d'état since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974.