Gabon’s military rulers announced that the new constitution has been overwhelmingly approved in a referendum, with provisional results showing 91.8% of voters in favor, and a turnout of 53.5%.
The vote, held under the leadership of interim President Brice Oligui Nguema, is seen as a key step in Gabon’s transition to democratic rule, which is scheduled for 2025. The military junta came to power in a coup last August, overthrowing President Ali Bongo, whose family had ruled the oil-rich country for nearly six decades, leaving behind an economy plagued by stagnation and widespread poverty.
The proposed constitution includes a two-term presidential limit (seven years each), abolishes the prime minister role, prevents dynastic succession, and establishes that presidential candidates must be born in Gabon to at least one Gabonese parent and have a Gabonese spouse. While the draft is seen as a major shift toward reform, it does not bar Nguema from running for president, which has raised concerns among some observers.
The final results will be confirmed by the Constitutional Court.