Following the recent announcement by the President of Guinea, Alpha Conde, postponing the country’s parliamentary elections originally scheduled for March 1, the country’s opposition parties have also called for the cancellation of a controversial referendum championed by the president, aimed at changing the constitution which will allow him to run for two more terms.

Postponement is not enough

On Friday the 28th of February, President Conde announced that the referendum, as well as parliamentary elections set for March 1, will be postponed for two weeks as a result of domestic and international criticism of the electoral process. With protests building up to the polls, Conde said that the “slight postponement” was necessary as the opposition had accused officials of tampering with the electoral register.

Over 7 million voters had been registered ahead of the election according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI).

Responding to Friday’s postponement, Ibrahima Diallo, a representative of the FNDC alliance in the capital of Conakry, said: “The fight continues until Alpha Conde leaves power under the current Constitution.” He further stated that protests will continue until the referendum, which he alleges has been rejected by all, is completely withdrawn.

It is important to note that before Friday’s announcement, the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG) and the Union of Republican Forces (UFR), the country’s second and third political forces as well as several others, decided to boycott these elections claiming a lack of transparency and serenity.

What Will the Referendum Change in Guinea?

The referendum aims to update the country’s 2010 constitution which was drafted and implemented under a transitional government after the military rule era in Guinea.

While it holds several inclusive provisions such as the outlaw of female circumcision, underage and forced marriages, a provision that makes it mandatory that no one gender makes up more than two-thirds of government members and the reduction of the approved age for people interested in running for parliament from 25 to 18, it alters the two terms set for presidents, increasing it from 5 years to 6 years. 

With Conde about to complete his second term of 5 years in Guinea, a new constitution would reset the presidency, allowing Conde to run for a third and fourth term of 6 years each.

In an interview with Le Figaro, the 81-year-old president suggested that he might run again if the constitution was amended.