Guinea-Bissau Opposition Calls for Referendum Boycott
Domingos Simões Pereira, leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) and the elected President of the Guinea-Bissau Parliament, has called for a total boycott of Sunday’s constitutional referendum. Speaking from Portugal via social media, Pereira urged citizens to stay indoors, labeling the vote “a coup against democracy and freedom.”
A Referendum Under Fire
The referendum, scheduled for Sunday, seeks to ratify a new constitution drafted by the National Transition Council—a body established after a military junta seized power in November 2025. The opposition argues that the current institutional and security climate makes a fair vote impossible.
“Voting on Sunday would mean participating in the murder of Vigário Balanta once again and making Tano Bari disappear again,” Pereira declared, linking the ballot to recent episodes of political violence and the forced disappearances of citizens. The PAI-Terra Ranka coalition, which Pereira leads, maintains that the population should not engage with a process born from an illegal power grab.
Tactical Abstention
While some opposition supporters have considered voting “no” to voice their dissent, Pereira warned against this strategy. He argued that any movement in the streets could be manipulated by the authorities as evidence of high turnout and popular support for the initiative. “On Sunday, let’s stay home,” he urged. “It is a way to defend our freedom and preserve the hope that truth will prevail.”
Since the November coup, opposition parties have been barred from holding public rallies or meeting at their headquarters, forcing political discourse onto social media. The PAIGC is joined in its boycott call by the Social Renewal Party (PRS), the National Convergence for Liberty and Development (COLIDE-GB), and the Social Democratic Movement (MSD).
What is at Stake?
The proposed constitution significantly alters the balance of power in Guinea-Bissau, granting the President of the Republic expanded authorities. Key changes include:
- Reducing the number of parliamentary deputies from 102 to 65.
- Stripping the Guinean diaspora of the right to vote in presidential elections, limiting them only to legislative polls.
Reports from local media suggest that only citizens residing within the country—totaling 914,428 eligible voters—will be permitted to participate, based on the 2023 census. Meanwhile, there are growing concerns over military interference; reports have surfaced of high-ranking officers meeting with soldiers to ensure their “support” and security for the vote, which the opposition views as blatant intimidation.
A Nation in Transition
This referendum comes just months before general elections scheduled for December 6. The political landscape has been in turmoil since November 2025, when a military intervention interrupted the counting of votes for the general election. While the former President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, claimed a coup was underway, the opposition characterized the event as a “palace coup” designed to keep him in power.
As the country prepares for Sunday’s vote, international observers remain constrained. The Portuguese news agency Lusa, along with other foreign media, has been operating remotely since its representatives were expelled by the government in August 2025.
Image: Pexels – Thuong D
