Gabon votes on new constitution, key step towards democratic rule

(Reuters) – Voters in Gabon headed to the polls on Saturday to decide on a new constitution that would pave the way to democratic rule after a coup ousted the Bongo dynasty last year.

The new constitution would introduce two-term limits on the presidency, remove the position of prime minister and recognise French as Gabon’s working language. The presidential term would be set at seven years.

General Brice Oligui Nguema, the interim president who seized power in a coup last year, is urging voters to agree to the new constitution, which he says embodies the junta’s commitment to charting a new course for Gabon.

Military officers toppled the government in August last year. The ousted president, Ali Bongo, had ruled since 2009. His father, Omar, had ruled since 1967.

It was the eighth coup in West and Central Africa since 2020. Western powers and regional bodies have pressured military rulers to hold elections within reasonable timeframes.

(Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome and Jessica Donati)

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