An overwhelming number of votes were raked in for a junta-led Gabon after provisional results were published in a referendum on Sunday.
Gabon’s Interior Minister speaking on state television indicated that the 91.8 per cent of voters had said “yes” to the charter, with a turnout estimated at 53.5 per cent.
The interim president of Gabon President Brice Oligui Nguema, addressing the people of Gabon, affirmed the move as a stepping stone in Gabon’s quest to rule under a democratic government-looking forward to initiate by summer of 2025.
The final results of the referendum are expected to be officially announced by Gabon’s Constitutional Court, marking a pivotal moment in the nation’s political restructuring. The new constitution introduces several significant reforms, including a two-term limit for the presidency, each term lasting seven years, and the removal of the prime ministerial position. It also prohibits dynastic power transfers and formally designates French as Gabon’s working language.
Additionally, the constitution sets strict eligibility criteria for presidential candidates: they must be exclusively Gabonese, have at least one Gabon-born parent, and be married to a Gabonese spouse. However, the possibility of interim President Brice Oligui Nguema running for office has sparked criticism, as some perceive it as a potential conflict with the spirit of democratic reform.