MADRID Jan. 21 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Parliament of Gabon has approved the new electoral law of the African country in view of the next elections, which must put an end to the open transition after the overthrow in August 2023 of the then president, Ali Bongo, which led to the establishment of a junta military.
The president of the transitional National Assembly, Jean François Ndongou, has highlighted the relevance of this text and has defended that the approval “is the result of rigorous work” aimed at “lastingly reinforcing the transparency, equality and credibility of electoral processes”.
“This law undoubtedly marks significant progress in our transition process,” Ndongou said of the law, which creates two seats to represent Gabonese living abroad and allows people with dual nationality to stand for election, with the exception of the presidential elections, according to the Gabon Media Time news portal.
Likewise, he has emphasized the need for politicians to respect the values of the political process and has argued that the ultimate goal is “to organize perfect, incontestable, free, transparent and democratic elections.” “Elections accepted by all,” he concluded.
The vote took place nearly two weeks after four prominent opponents demanded the exclusion of members of the military junta from the upcoming elections and that “a truly inclusive transition” be promoted. Thus, they asked that the members of the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) – the official name of the board – “return to their barracks after the end of the transition, with a formal prohibition on them being candidates for the next elections”.
Along these lines, they “firmly and categorically rejected the exclusionary process currently launched by the transitional authorities”, in line with the criticism against the constitutional referendum held in November 2024, which resulted in an overwhelming victory for the ‘yes’ vote. and that reinforces the presidential system in the African country.
The vote was the first in Gabon after the overthrow of Bongo in a coup led by General Brice Oligui Nguema, currently transitional president, following allegations of fraud by the opposition in the 2023 elections, although Ondo Ossa and others Opponents refused to recognize the authority of the junta.
Nguema had promised to hand over power to civil authorities after a two-year transition period, although he has not ruled out the possibility that the vote, which should take place in 2025, will be postponed, amid rumors about the possibility that present himself as a candidate to continue leading the African country after the end of this interim period.
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