The opposition of Guinea Bissau has intensified its criticism against the transitional authorities for the organization of the constitutional referendum on August 30, in which a new Constitution aimed at strengthening the power of the transitional president, the coup leader Horta N'Tam, was submitted for consultation just a few months before the upcoming general elections.
The Platform of the Inclusive Alliance Terra Ranka (PAI-TR), led by former Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, and the Inclusive Patriotic Alliance Cabaz Garandi (API-CG) argue that the process was "a failure" and demand the opening of an inclusive dialogue that allows the African country to return to constitutional order.
In a joint statement, both formations have denounced that the referendum "was called against the will of the people" and "in violation of democratic principles," also accusing the authorities of trying to give "an appearance of legitimacy" to the new Constitution promoted by the National Transition Council (CNT).
The opposition blocs have also questioned the participation in the consultation, which they consider very low, to insist on this "lack of legitimacy," and have indicated that this low turnout should also be interpreted as "a manifestation of civic and political consciousness," according to the Guinean newspaper 'O Democrata'.
To these denunciations has joined the leader of the Social Renewal Party (PRS), headed by former Parliament Vice President Fernando Dias da Costa, who has asked the authorities to guarantee the necessary conditions for "a true national dialogue" with the aim of restoring constitutional order.
"The people of Guinea Bissau want peace, a peace based on justice, as well as wanting stability grounded in legitimacy," he has pointed out, accusing the Government of promoting the referendum outside of a dialogue process and insisting that democracy also requires "legality, freedom, transparency, pluralism, participation, and trust in institutions."
"When these conditions are not fully guaranteed, the people have the right to peacefully express their disagreement, including refusing to legitimize a process in which they are not recognized," he has emphasized, who was the main opposition candidate in the presidential elections of November 2025, after which the military coup took place.
In contrast, the vice president of the Technical Commission for the Referendum, Rui Alberto Pinto Pereira, has defended the consultation and has practically assured the victory of the 'yes', rejecting the opposition's accusations of reduced participation, which the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) places below 20%.
The Constitution approved in January, two months after the coup that deposed then-president Umaro Sissoco Embaló, grants the head of State the authority to appoint the prime minister and the members of the Government. It also allows him to dissolve the Parliament, which in the new text is called the National Assembly, although it maintains its legislative powers and oversight of government action.
Furthermore, the new Magna Carta contemplates reducing the number of parliamentary seats from 102 to 65, decreasing the electoral constituencies from 29 to 12, and significantly tightening the conditions for presenting a presidential candidacy, in a context where the opposition accuses N'Tam of trying to consolidate the coup through the ballot box and of ignoring any proposal for dialogue to resolve the political crisis.