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President Faustin Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic said that he would call a referendum on a new constitution that would allow him to seek a new term, in an address to the nation. Touadera’s opponents have already accused him of seeking to extend his rule despite constitutional limits.
President Faustin Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic said that he would call a referendum on a new constitution that would allow him to seek a new term, in an address to the nation. Touadera’s opponents have already accused him of seeking to extend his rule despite constitutional limits.
Touadera was elected in 2016 and was returned for a second term in 2020, despite widespread accusations of electoral flaws. In October, he removed the country’s top judge, Daniele Darlan, in what critics denounced as a “constitutional coup d’etat” after she opposed presidential decrees aimed at revising the constitution. The constitution stipulates that a president can serve only two terms, which the present incumbent is trying to change through a referendum as is being followed by several countries in the continent, flouting the democratic norms through arm-twisting.
The president’s advisor Fidele Gouandjika confirmed to a media house that a referendum would be conducted to know people’s opinions on the proposed changes. He also said that once the changes are made, this would be applicable to everyone aspiring to become president.
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Analysts opine that holding a referendum to overcome the constitutional provision limiting the term of office of the president has been resorted to by a few countries in the continent, flouting the democratic norms. Pressure is also exerted by the opposition to dissuade the president from seeking another term.
