Gabon's new constitution wins overwhelming approval in landslide vote

Gabon’s military rulers announced their new constitution had been overwhelmingly approved in a referendum, according to provisional results it published Sunday, marking a new chapter for the oil-rich African nation.

The estimated 860,000 registered voters faced an onslaught of calls by authorities on TV, radio and social media to make their ballot count – whether they choose a green one meaning “yes” or a red one for “no”.

The new constitution sets out a vision of a presidency with a maximum of two seven-year terms, no prime minister, and no dynastic transfer of power.

Provisional results showed 91.8 percent of voters had backed the new constitution, the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) said in a statement.

With the campaign dominated by official propaganda by the junta that took power in August last year in a coup, local media had said voter turnout would be a key factor.

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The interior ministry said 53.54 percent of voters turned out to cast their ballot, lower than the 71 percent reported earlier by broadcaster Gabon TV.

There were no serious incidents reported during voting across 2,835 polling stations nationwide, which stayed open until 6:00 pm.

The junta on Saturday extended a night curfew by two hours to midnight “during the whole electoral process”, according to a decree read on state television.

Constitutional proposals

The new constitution also requires presidential candidates to be exclusively Gabonese – with at least one Gabon-born parent – and have a Gabonese spouse.

This would eliminate toppled ruler Ali Bongo Ondimba, who is married to a French woman, and his children.

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His replacement, transitional president Brice Oligui Nguema, declared the referendum a “great step forward” as he cast his vote at a Libreville school.

“All Gabonese are coming to vote in a transparent fashion,” the junta chief told the press, having ditched his general’s uniform for a brown civilian jacket over jeans.

Oligui has vowed to hand power back to civilians after a two-year transition but has made no secret of his desire to win the presidential election scheduled for August 2025.

Billboards adorned with an image of the general and urging a “yes” vote are everywhere, the Union newspaper commented on Friday, prompting it to ask: “Referendum or presidential campaign?”

‘Creating a dictator’

Queues of voters formed in front of the classrooms housing the polling stations at the Lycee Leon M’Ba in Libreville, under the watchful eye of the soldiers charged with ensuring the ballot’s security.

Nathalie Badzoko, a 33-year-old civil servant, said she was voting “yes” and had faith in the junta but admitted she had “not read the whole text” and its 173 articles.

Opponents of the proposed text dismiss it as tailor-made for the strongman to remain in power.

“We are creating a dictator who designs the constitution for himself,” lawyer Marlene Fabienne Essola Efountame said.

Bongo ruled for 14 years until he was overthrown moments after being proclaimed the winner in a presidential election the military and opposition declared fraudulent.

He took office on the death of his father Omar, who had ruled for more than 41 years.

The opposition and the military coup leaders accused Ali Bongo’s regime of widespread corruption and poor governance.

Concerns about jobs

The interior ministry said it had done all it could to ensure Saturday’s referendum was transparent, including inviting international observers – who were not present in the August 2023 presidential election.

“We trust them and this is a test,” said Mathurin Bengone, a 45-year-old health ministry civil servant.

“If our vote isn’t respected, we won’t vote again.”

The final tally will be announced by the constitutional court.

Nearly 87 percent of those surveyed said they thought the country is “heading in the right direction”, according to an Afrobarometer survey among 1,200 respondents published mid-October.

Unemployment topped the list of concerns, followed by health, roads, insecurity and a rise in the cost of living, the survey also suggested.

And, more than 46 percent have “great confidence” in Oligui, who would be the favourite if a presidential election were to be held now.