The proposed constitutional referendum scheduled for August 30th in Guinea-Bissau will drastically reduce the plurality of voices and democratic representation across the country, according to international law and Francophone West Africa analyst Lassané Ouedraogo.
The proposed constitutional amendments seek to significantly consolidate authority within the Presidency while drastically scaling back legislative structures. Under the draft text, seats in parliament would be reduced from 102 to 65, while electoral constituencies would be cut from 29 to 12.
Ouedraogo warned that shrinking the size of parliament and reducing electoral districts will concentrate power in the executive branch while weakening institutional checks and balances in the West African nation.
Critics and opposition groups contend that the overhaul is designed to cement presidential dominance and suppress political pluralism under the guise of ending Guinea-Bissau’s chronic institutional instability.
–ChannelAfrica–
