Gabon’s Constitutional Court announced late Friday that the majority of voters backed a new Constitution, signaling a shift toward democratic rule.
The referendum results revealed that 91.64% of voters supported the adoption, while 8.36% voted against, according to Dieudonné Aba’a Owono, president of the Constitutional Court.
These final results slightly differ from the initial figures released by the Interior Ministry, which reported a 54.18% voter turnout in the Nov. 16 poll.
The referendum aimed to approve a new Constitution, considered essential for holding presidential elections and returning Gabon to democratic governance.
The new Constitution abolishes the position of prime minister and establishes a seven-year presidential term, renewable once.
This move comes over a year after Gabon’s military coup in August 2023, which ousted President Ali Bongo and ended the Bongo family’s 56-year reign.
General Brice Oligui Nguema, former commander of the Republican Guard, became the transitional president following the coup, promising a two-year period of political transition.
Under the new rules, presidential candidates must have at least one Gabonese-born parent and cannot hold dual nationality.
With elections set for August 2025, Nguema is expected to run for president as the country moves toward a new era of leadership.