Gabon votes on new constitution after military coup last year

Gabon is currently holding a referendum to adopt a new constitution. The draft constitution, which includes changes such as presidential term limits, needs to receive more than 50% of the votes cast to be adopted. The referendum follows a military coup in 2023 that overthrew the Bongo family, which has been in power since 1967. The ruling junta has declared the referendum a "major turning point" in the country's history and has been aggressively promoting it through various media channels. The referendum has been met with some delays, with elections beginning late at some polling stations in the capital Libreville. Despite these challenges, an estimated 860,000 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots. The transitional leader has urged voters to support the draft charter, which is seen as a key step towards establishing a new government in the country.