Gabonese citizens cast their votes on Saturday in a referendum for a new constitution, marking a key moment in the country’s transition to civilian rule following a military coup that ousted the Bongo dynasty last year.
The proposed constitution introduces presidential term limits of two seven-year terms, abolishes the position of prime minister, and formally recognizes French as the country’s working language. Interim President General Brice Oligui Nguema, who led the August 2023 coup, urged citizens to participate, describing the vote as a critical step in the transition process.
“This is a huge step for the transition,” Nguema said after voting in Libreville, commending the transparency of the process. Campaign posters urging approval of the proposed changes were visible across the capital in the lead-up to the vote. Voting stations were initially quiet in the morning but saw increased activity later in the day.
The referendum delivers on promises made by the junta to establish a framework for democratic governance, with presidential elections tentatively set for mid-2025. “I voted for the future of my children and grandchildren,” said voter Nziengui Emilienne at a Libreville polling station.
Gabon’s coup ended the Bongo family’s 56-year rule, with Ali Bongo ousted after 14 years in power, succeeding his father, Omar Bongo, who had led since 1967. The military takeover was the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020, sparking regional and international calls for swift transitions to democratic rule.
Critics remain cautious about the junta’s intentions. While transitional leaders are officially barred from running for the presidency under the proposed reforms, an exception has been made for Nguema. Analysts, including Rukmini Sanyal of the Economist Intelligence Unit, warn that the new constitution may grant excessive powers to the presidency.
“There remains a high risk that the electoral process will be manipulated to preserve army-led rule, given the junta’s entrenched control over state institutions,” Sanyal noted in a pre-vote analysis.
