{
  "id": 3444501,
  "title": "Guinea-Bissau votes on handing more powers to president",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/guinea-bissau-votes-on-handing-more-powers-to-president",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-26T05:43:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/08/26/guinea-bissau-votes-on-handing-more-powers-to-president"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Guinea-Bissau's military junta has proposed a constitutional amendment to grant the president greater powers in advance of a general election slated for December 6. The coup-prone West African nation, ruled since November by the army, aims to stabilize institutions before transitioning to a presidential system. Voters will be asked to vote \"yes\" or \"no\" on Sunday to the proposal to enter into force the new constitution approved by the National Transitional Council. The junta maintains that the change is necessary to prevent conflicts between the presidency and prime minister's office, which have disrupted stability in the past. However, opposition parties and human rights advocates argue that the proposed constitution could concentrate too much power in the hands of a single individual, undermining democracy.",
  "summary": "The vote follows a string of other African countries that have extended term lengths, removed age limits or strengthened powers of the executive.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Guinea-Bissau votes on handing more powers to president",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/guinea-bissau-votes-on-handing-more-powers-to-president-3445672",
        "published": "2026-08-26T05:43:46.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}