Guinea-Bissau voters have approved a new constitution that increases the powers of the president, setting the stage for elections scheduled for December. According to preliminary results, 70% of voters supported major changes in the West African nation's first constitutional amendment since revisions that ended the one-party socialist regime over 30 years ago. The referendum saw a turnout of over 55%, with around 544,060 people participating. The new constitution will reduce the number of parliamentary seats from 102 to 65 and cut the number of electoral constituencies from 29 to 12. It also introduces new requirements for presidential candidates, such as living continuously in the country for at least five years before the election—likely aimed at limiting the influence of politicians based abroad. The approval of the new constitution is expected to facilitate the upcoming December elections, which many hope will bring stability to Guinea-Bissau. Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, the country has faced numerous political upheavals, including at least 10 coup attempts, half of which were successful. The most recent crisis followed last November's disputed presidential elections, where both candidates claimed victory, accusing each other of electoral fraud. The military intervened, establishing a transitional ruling council led by General Horta Inta-A Na Man, a former head of the military. Na Man stated that the goal after the referendum is to allow the winner of the December elections to complete their term without interference. Nelson Moreira, the second vice-president of the transitional council, noted that the previous constitution, enacted in 1993, had often been blamed for the country's instability. The leading opposition party, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), was not allowed to field a presidential candidate in the 2025 election. The party had urged its supporters to boycott the referendum, calling it a "democratic farce." PAIGC leader Domingos Simões Pereira said the August 30 election would be a continuation of the November 26 coup.