In Gabon, votes close for the referendum on the new Constitution

The Gabonese people voted on Saturday November 16 on the new Constitution written by the military regime of General Brice Oligui Nguema, with a participation rate of “more than 70%” for this “historic day”according to figures given by public television Gabon 24.

“The participation rate communicated by the Ministry of the Interior exceeds 71%” and the “yes” comes very far in the lead in several foreign offices, according to Gabon 24 which dedicated a special program to this “D-Day” Or “Gabon is writing a new page in its history”.

The 250 observers of the ROC citizen network were authorized in certain offices but refused in others, a spokesperson for this network financed by the United Nations told Agence France-Presse. No major incidents were reported during the day, according to Gabon 24.

“Rise towards bliss”

If the Constitution is adopted, the next step will be the holding of a presidential election, currently scheduled for August 2025, to put a definitive end to the transition born from the putsch of August 30, 2023, after the fall of the Bongo dynasty.

It was an hour after the proclamation of Ali Bongo's re-election for a third term, on August 30, 2023, that a military junta called the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions appeared on television to proclaim the “end of the Bongo regime”with accusations of electoral fraud and embezzlement of public funds.

General Oligui promised to return power to civilians but he does not hide his presidential ambitions by also promising a “rise to bliss” to this country which is both rich in oil and heavily in debt. “All Gabonese come to vote transparently (….) this is a huge step forward for the transition”declared the president of the transition after voting in an office in the center of Libreville.

A reinforced curfew

So that “the vote takes place in a climate of tranquility and peace”the authorities have reinforced the curfew put in place since the putsch. “The curfew hours are rearranged from 24 hours to 5 a.m. throughout the period of the electoral process” – two hours earlier than the current curfew which begins at 2 a.m. –, according to this decree.

The announcement was made during the Gabon 24 special broadcast. It was not specified whether the strengthening period runs until the publication of the provisional results or the final proclamation of the Constitutional Court.

The draft new fundamental law establishes, among other things, a seven-year mandate renewable only once, with a presidential system with strong executive power, without a prime minister but with a vice-president appointed by the Head of State, and a power of dissolution of the National Assembly.

The text requires the presidential candidate to be exclusively Gabonese, born to at least one Gabonese parent by birth and married to a Gabonese person. A paragraph not included in the list of intangible provisions prohibits the spouse or descendants of the president from running for office.

The Interior Ministry promised to publish the provisional results “as quickly as possible”without indication of date or time. The final results must be announced by the constitutional court “after all objections have been lifted”.