In Gabon, Michel Stéphane Bonda, the President of the Gabonese Electoral Center (CGE), addressed the public in a press conference to clarify the recent modifications to the electoral law. These changes sparked intense opposition reactions over the past weekend.
Scheduled for August 26, three elections are set to take place: presidential, legislative, and local. Bonda explained that the CGE proposed limiting the number of candidates’ representatives to prevent overcrowding in the usually compact voting booths. Under the new law, only two representatives for both the majority and the opposition and a third representative for independents are allowed. Bonda highlighted that this modification was also requested by the opposition in their memorandum for electoral transparency, submitted to the Constitutional Court in May 2022. The ultimate goal is to streamline the voting process, he emphasized.
The new electoral law and its provisions are aimed at ensuring smoother voting operations during the forthcoming elections. By limiting the number of representatives and facilitating the process, the authorities hope to promote a transparent and efficient electoral process on August 26.