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A constitutional referendum was held and approved in Gabon on 16 November 2024. [1] The vote was on a new constitution; [2] it proposed, among other things, a 7-year presidential term, renewable once consecutively. [3] The referendum may lead to the return to a civilian regime which the military junta promised after the coup d'état in 2023. [4]
After 56 years of leadership under Omar Bongo and his son, Ali Bongo, the 2023 coup brought about military rule. [5] In September 2024, a draft of the proposed new constitution was handed to transitional president Brice Oligui Nguema. [6] Gabon’s parliamentarians submitted their proposed amendments ahead of a 22 September deadline. [7]
The minister for institutional reform in Gabon, Murielle Minkoue Mintsa, announced that the referendum would take place on 16 November 2024. [8]
The new constitution contains 173 articles. [9] It includes a presidential system, abolishing the office of prime minister, with the President of Gabon limited to two consecutive seven-year terms, [10] elected via the two-round system. The method of election and term of the president is entrenched. The role of the prime minister would be replaced by a new "Vice President of the Government" appointed by the President (thus meaning there would be two vice presidents in total, with the other known as the Vice President of the Republic). [11] The working language of Gabon will continue to be French, [12] but it will not be considered the state's "official language". [13] Mandatory military service would be allowed under law. [13] The new constitution would also define marriage as a union between a man and a woman via an entrenched clause, thus permanently banning same-sex marriage. [14] The national holiday of August 17 is complemented by a "liberation day" on August 30 in honor of the 2023 coup d'état. [15]
The initial insistence that "only people born to a Gabonese father and mother can run in the presidential election" was controversial among those of mixed heritage. [16] This section was considered to prevent former first lady Sylvia Bongo Ondimba and her son Noureddin Bongo Valentin, both of whom have dual French-Gabonese nationality, from standing. [17] Ultimately the requirement was amended to require a person:
Elections for the presidency must take place within 3 months of the end of the term.
The president would be allowed to call a state of emergency, under which extra powers as defined by law would be granted to them. The president may also dissolve the National Assembly once during a term after consultation with the presidents of both chambers and the Constitutional Court, provided it has been at least two years since the start of the term and that no indictment before the High Court of Justice is opened. In this case, a new election must be called within 60 days.
Members of the government must be a Gabonese citizen born to a Gabonese parent, be at least 30 years old, and not have their political rights suspended.
The National Assembly is bicameral, consisting of the National Assembly and Senate, both serving 5 year terms, with the latter being indirectly elected.[ further explanation needed ] Elections must take place between one and six months before the end of the term. The term of office begins on the date the Bureaux of the two chambers are elected.
The Constitutional Court would consist of 9 appointed members, plus ex officio members comprising former Presidents (provided they do not renounce that right and retain their political rights). The members serve eight year terms, with a maximum of two terms, and consist of three people appointed by the President, two each by the president of the National Assembly and Senate, and two by the High Council of the Judiciary. Re-elections would take place by members of the Court.
Wording on property ownership was included, stating that everyone has the right to property, but that "the conditions and procedures for access to property shall be determined by law", in theory enabling restrictions. Cloning of human beings would be banned. Amnesty would be granted to anyone who participated in the 2023 coup d'état.
The new constitution will come into force following the next presidential election if approved.
The provisional government is authorizing international observers to observe the referendum, something that was not permitted for the 2023 Gabonese general election. [18] Ballot papers used in the referendum were color-coded, with green ballots meaning "yes" and red ones meaning "no". Around 2,835 polling stations were utilised for the procedure, which ran from 07:00 to 18:00. [9] A night-time curfew was declared for safety reasons. [19]
On 17 November, Interior Minister Hermann Immongault said that the referendum had passed with over 91% support after an estimated 53% turnout but that the final results would be announced later by the Constitutional Court. [20] On 29 November, the Constitutional Court validated the results of the referendum, definitively adopting the constitution. [21] On December 19, the new constitution was promulgated by the president. [22]
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 381,581 | 91.64 | |
| No | 34,802 | 8.36 | |
| Total | 416,383 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 416,383 | 90.09 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 45,784 | 9.91 | |
| Total votes | 462,167 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 853,028 | 54.18 | |
| Source: TV Plus Afrique | |||
The President of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, congratulated the holding of the referendum and the return to constitutional order in Gabon. [23] The adoption of the new constitution by the population established the Second Republic. [24]
Gabon, officially the Gabonese Republic, is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo on the east and south, and the Gulf of Guinea to the west. It has an area of 270,000 square kilometres (100,000 sq mi) and a population of 2.3 million people. There are coastal plains, mountains, and a savanna in the east. Libreville is the country's capital and largest city.
Little is known of the history of Gabon before European contact. Bantu migrants settled the area beginning in the 14th century. Portuguese explorers and traders arrived in the area in the late 15th century. The coast subsequently became a centre of the transatlantic slave trade with European slave traders arriving to the region in the 16th century. In 1839 and 1841, France established a protectorate over the coast. In 1849, captives released from a captured slave ship founded Libreville. In 1862–1887, France expanded its control including the interior of the state, and took full sovereignty. In 1910 Gabon became part of French Equatorial Africa and in 1960, Gabon became independent.
The politics of Gabon takes place in a framework of a republic whereby the president of Gabon is head of state and in effect, also the head of government, since he appoints the prime minister and his cabinet. The government is divided into three branches: the executive headed by the prime minister, the legislative that is formed by the two chambers of parliament, and the judicial branch. The judicial branch is technically independent and equal to the two other branches, although in practice, since its judges are appointed by the president, it is beholden to the same president. Since independence the party system is dominated by the conservative Gabonese Democratic Party.
The president of Gabon is the head of state of Gabon. A total of three people have served as president since the post was formed in 1960.
Jean Ping is a Gabonese diplomat and politician who served as Chair of the African Union Commission from 2008 to 2012. Born to a Chinese father and Gabonese mother, he is the first individual of Chinese descent to lead the executive branch of the African Union.
Ali Bongo Ondimba, also known as Ali Bongo and Ali Ben Bongo, is a Gabonese former politician who was the third president of Gabon from 2009 to 2023. He is a member of the Gabonese Democratic Party. He is the son of Omar Bongo, who was president of Gabon from 1967 until his death in 2009. During his father's presidency, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1989 to 1991, represented Bongoville as a deputy in the National Assembly from 1991 to 1999, and was the Minister of Defense from 1999 to 2009. After his father's death, he won the 2009 Gabonese presidential election. He was reelected in 2016, in elections marred by numerous irregularities, arrests, human rights violations, and post-election protests and violence.
Casimir Marie Ange Oyé-Mba was a Gabonese politician. After serving as Governor of the Bank of Central African States (BEAC) from 1978 to 1990, Oyé-Mba was Prime Minister of Gabon from 3 May 1990 to 2 November 1994. Subsequently, he remained in the government as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 1999, Minister of State for Planning from 1999 to 2007, and Minister of State for Mines and Oil from 2007 to 2009.
Patience Marie Josephine Kama Dabany, also known by the names Marie Joséphine Kama and Josephine Bongo, is a Gabonese singer and musician. Dabany served as the First Lady of Gabon from 1967 to 1987. For 28 years, she was married to Omar Bongo Ondimba, who was President of Gabon from 1967 to 2009. After their divorce, she successfully pursued a career in music. She is the mother of the former President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba.
Didjob Divungi Di Ndinge is a Gabonese politician who was Vice-President of Gabon from 1997 to 2009. He is the President of the Democratic and Republican Alliance (ADERE), a political party. As Vice-President of Gabon, Divungi Di Ndinge exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from May 2009 to June 2009, while President Omar Bongo Ondimba was hospitalized.
The vice president of Gabon is a political position in Gabon. The vice president's role is to assist the president and the person serving as vice president has no interim role in the event of a power vacuum.
Raymond Ndong Sima is a Gabonese politician who has been the Prime Minister of Gabon since September 2023. He was previously prime minister from February 2012 to January 2014.
A constitutional referendum was held in Mali on 18 June 2023. It was initially scheduled for 9 July 2017. However, in late June 2017 it was postponed with no date set, before being revived in mid-April 2021, with a date set of 31 October 2021. Due to the 2021 Malian coup d'état it was indefinitely postponed, with plans for it to be held by 2024. It was later scheduled for 19 March 2023, but then postponed again. On 5 May 2023 the ruling junta announced in a decree that it would be held on 18 June.
General elections were held in Gabon on 26 August 2023. Incumbent president Ali Bongo ran for re-election, representing the Gabonese Democratic Party, which had ruled the country continuously since its independence from France in 1960, including 41 years under Bongo's father, Omar.
Events in the year 2023 in Gabon.
A constitutional referendum was held in the Central African Republic on 30 July 2023.
Albert Ondo Ossa is a Gabonese politician, member of civil society and associate professor of economics at Omar Bongo University.
On 30 August 2023, a coup d'état occurred in Gabon shortly after the announcement that incumbent president Ali Bongo had won the general election held on 26 August. It was the eighth successful coup to occur in West and Central Africa since 2020.
The Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions is the ruling military junta of Gabon. It took power in the 2023 Gabonese coup d'état after annulling the 2023 Gabonese general election.
Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema is a Gabonese military officer serving as Transitional President of Gabon, chairman of the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions and the Commander-in-Chief of the Gabonese Republican Guard. He is a member of the Bongo family and played a key part in overthrowing his cousin Ali Bongo during the 2023 Gabonese coup d'état.
General elections are due to be held in Gabon in 2025. They will be the first elections in the country since the Bongo dynasty was overthrown in the 2023 coup after 56 years of rule.
| Presidential elections | |
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| Parliamentary elections | |
| Departmental elections | |
| Local elections | |
| French elections | |
| Referendums | |
