Gabon: Constitutional Court Validates “Yes” in Referendum

Official Validation of the New Constitution

On Friday, November 29, 2024, the Gabonese Constitutional Court officially validated the results of the constitutional referendum of November 16. With 91.64% of votes cast in favor of “yes” , this adoption marks an important step towards the restoration of civilian rule after the August 2023 coup d’état.

Disparities in Official Data

The final figures presented by the Court show a slight decrease compared to the initial data provided by the Ministry of the Interior:

• Number of registrants : 853,028 (compared to 868,115 initially)
• Number of voters : 462,166 (against 463,066)
• Votes cast : 416,382 (against 454,173)

Despite this, the participation rate, a key issue in this consultation, was revised upwards to 54.18% , compared to 53.54% in the provisional results.

A Decisive Step in the Transition

Dieudonné Aba’a Owono, president of the Constitutional Court, announced that the referendum had been approved with 91.64% of the vote in favour , slightly below the 91.80% previously declared by the Ministry of the Interior.

This validated Constitution opens the way to important reforms, notably the revision of the electoral code, in preparation for the presidential election scheduled for August 2025 .

A “Historic Step” according to the President of the Transition

Transitional President General Brice Oligui Nguema hailed the validation as a “historic step” in the process of restoring democracy. The referendum comes after the end of 55 years of political domination by the Bongo family, who were overthrown in a 2023 military coup.

Conclusion

The validation of the new Constitution by the Constitutional Court symbolizes a major step forward in the political transition in Gabon. With the 2025 presidential election in sight, this referendum is an essential milestone in redefining the country’s democratic future.