The EU issued a call on Wednesday for “more inclusive democratic procedures” in the Central African Republic (CAR) following a recent constitutional referendum that resulted in the extension of presidential term limits.
EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano commented, “The EU takes note of the results of the Constitutional Referendum in the Central African Republic. Concerns about the continued polarization of the political context. The EU calls for more inclusive and transparent democratic processes in CAR.”
The CAR held a constitutional referendum in July, offering many suggested amendments to the country’s constitution. Notably, one of the suggested reforms was the removal of the presidential seat’s two-term limit. In addition, the proposed amendment increased the presidential term from five to seven years. If these reforms were made, the incumbent president would also be eligible to run for a third term in the approaching 2025 elections.
The CAR’s Constitutional Court officially approved the results of the July constitutional referendum on Monday. According to the court’s decision, the “yes” camp received 95.3 percent of the vote, while the “no” camp received 4.97 percent. The opposition, on the other hand, has vehemently questioned the results, claiming that they do not truly reflect the actual will of the people.
In response, the US released a press statement expressing worry about a number of issues that could jeopardize the country’s democratic processes. Particularly, the US raised two major issues: low voter turnout and concerns about ballot secrecy. In view of these concerns, the US urged the CAR to hold free and fair elections. The statement also underlined the necessity of incorporating all stakeholders to achieve transparent, fair and inclusive electoral procedures.
Source: Jurist
