Guinea-Bissau’s Junta Pushes Referendum to Grab More Power

A constitutional referendum called by Guinea-Bissau’s military junta seeks to hand more control to the president and undo recent power-sharing deals. The vote comes in a nation long scarred by political instability. The referendum, organized by the junta, is designed to strengthen the executive branch. It would roll back measures that had spread authority across different branches of government. That shift has raised concerns about the future of democratic checks in the West African country. Guinea-Bissau has a history of coups and fragile governments. Since gaining independence in 1974, it has seen multiple military takeovers and no elected president has served a full term. The junta’s move to centralize power is seen by observers as a further step away from the stability that international partners have tried to encourage. The vote is set against a backdrop of existing tensions. Power-sharing arrangements, which were meant to ease rivalries between civilian leaders and the military, are now at risk. If the referendum passes, the president would gain greater authority over key state functions, reducing the influence of parliament and other institutions. There is no immediate word on when the referendum will be held or how it will be monitored. But the junta’s push is likely to draw sharp reactions both inside the country and from regional bodies, such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has previously intervened in Guinea-Bissau’s political crises. For now, the country watches as its leaders decide whether to concentrate power or preserve the fragile balance that has kept the peace—however tenuous—intact.