Guinea - April 2025

On 1 April, Guinea’s military junta announced a constitutional referendum for 21 September 2025, framing it as a precursor to elections and a step toward ‘restoring constitutional order.’ The draft constitution is expected to address key issues such as presidential term limits, electoral frameworks, and whether junta members can run for office—a restriction currently imposed by Article 46 of the transition charter. The vote follows a missed December 2024 deadline to end military rule. The National Alliance for Alternation and Democracy (ANAD), a coalition of parties and associations, called the announcement a ‘manoeuvre to perpetuate dictatorship.’ With two former ruling parties suspended, another under surveillance, rising repression, and a delayed electoral census, observers question the prospects for holding free and fair elections as scheduled.

Sources: Africa Confidential, International IDEA, Guinée News, Radio France Internationale, Jeune Afrique, Africa News