Guinea-Bissau to vote on new constitution that would expand presidential powers

Under the current constitution, Guinea-Bissau's legislature names a prime minister who appoints a cabinet. The new constitution ​would allow the president to appoint and dismiss the prime ​minister and cabinet.

The president would also be able to ⁠create or abolish government ministries, chair the Council of Ministers, dissolve ​parliament in the event of a grave political crisis and dismiss ​the government under certain circumstances, according to a copy seen by Reuters.

The new constitution would also shrink parliament to 65 seats from 102 and cut the number ​of electoral constituencies to 12 from 29.

The coup last November took ​place one day before the electoral commission was due to announce the results ‌of ⁠a presidential election.

The reduction in electoral constituencies could curb the influence of parties with strong local bases said Manuel Nobre de Barros, a professor at Lusofona University in Guinea-Bissau.

More broadly, ​the reforms would ​alter the balance ⁠of power between the president and the legislature, de Barros said.

"The changes give the president absolute ​power under the new constitution, with no political opposition," ​he ⁠said.

The constitution would require presidential candidates to have resided permanently in Guinea-Bissau for the previous five years, a condition not included in the ⁠current ​constitution, which requires candidates to be Guinean ​citizens by birth, at least 35 years old and in full possession of civil ​and political rights.