CPLP Demands Return to Democratic Normalcy in Guinea-Bissau
The Council of Ministers of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) has issued a formal resolution expressing deep concern over the ongoing political crisis in Guinea-Bissau. Meeting today in Dili, Timor-Leste, for their 31st ordinary session, the ministers called for a swift return to “democratic normalcy” and constitutional rule.
A Call for Stability and Rule of Law
The resolution reaffirms the Lusophone organization’s commitment to supporting Guinea-Bissau in restoring its democratic institutions. The CPLP stated its readiness to work alongside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union through diplomatic channels to ensure a peaceful resolution to the current impasse.
The Council urged all political, military, and institutional figures, as well as civil society, to prioritize dialogue. The resolution emphasized the need for “social peace and the regular functioning of democratic institutions,” highlighting that the rights to freedom of expression and civic participation must be upheld as enshrined in the nation’s constitution.
A Nation in Transition
Guinea-Bissau has faced severe political turmoil since a coup d’état in December 2025 deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló. The coup interrupted a critical electoral process, blocking the release of general election results from November 2025. Following these events, the CPLP suspended Guinea-Bissau from the organization and transferred its presidency to Timor-Leste.
The path forward remains complex. On August 30, Bissau-Guineans are scheduled to vote in a referendum on a new Constitution proposed by the National Transition Council. This vote serves as a precursor to new general, presidential, and legislative elections currently slated for December 6.
Transparency and Humanitarian Gestures
The CPLP ministers underscored that any lasting political solution must be rooted in the “freedom of the people of Guinea-Bissau to hold transparent, free, and inclusive elections.”
In a notable diplomatic acknowledgment, the Council also recognized the “humanitarian gesture” involving the release of Domingos Simões Pereira. Pereira, the leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) and a former executive secretary of the CPLP, had been a central figure in the recent political unrest.
