The new constitution drafted by General Brice Oligui Nguema’s military regime was overwhelmingly approved by the Gabonese people on Sunday, with 91.8% voting “yes”. It is presented as a “major turning point“for the country after the fall of the Bongo dynasty.

According to provisional data published on Sunday by the Ministry of the Interior, the crucial issue in this consultation carried out by the country’s new strongman was the turnout rate, which stood at 53.54% – well below initial estimates (71%).

A total of 868,115 voters were called on Saturday to cast a green ballot for “yes” or a red one for “no” during the voting day, presented by the authorities as a “historic moment“A little over a year after the putsch that put an end to the Bongo family’s 55-year reign. Once the final results have been confirmed by the Constitutional Court, the next step will be the holding of a presidential election, currently scheduled for August 2025, to put a definitive end to the transition.

A “rise to bliss“

General Oligui has promised to return power to civilians, but he makes no secret of his presidential ambitions by also promising a “rise to bliss“to this oil-rich yet heavily indebted country. “We’re here to build the country, and we’re going to build it together.“he declared to applause as he inaugurated a market in Libreville on Friday.

Since Friday, the authorities have tightened the curfew put in place since the putsch, with hours “from 24H to 5H00 in the morning throughout the electoral process“.

No major incidents were reported during voting day, according to the authorities and the Citizens’ Observer Network (CON), a platform of local associations supported by the United Nations.