The Gambia - July 2025

On 7 July, Gambia’s National Assembly rejected the Constitution (Promulgation) Bill 2024 during its second reading, marking the second failed attempt in five years to replace the 1997 Constitution enacted under former President Yahya Jammeh. The draft was first tabled for reading in the Assembly on 23 December 2024, following its gazetting in August, but its second reading—initially scheduled for March 2025—was postponed until July. The bill, which required a three-quarters majority to proceed, garnered only 35 votes in favour and 21 against. Although the draft proposed presidential term limits and institutional reforms, it faced strong opposition from lawmakers and legal experts over provisions that weakened checks and balances and excluded key political and civil society stakeholders from the drafting process. The failure to pass the bill means the 1997 Constitution remains in force, preserving existing concerns around executive dominance. In response, the government pledged to continue pursuing constitutional reforms.

Sources: Constitution Net, Vanguard, Barron’s, Africa Confidential, African Press Agency News