The military junta that seized power in Gabon two years ago has recently announced that presidential and legislative elections will be held in August 2025. This announcement comes following the military coup that ousted President Ali Bongo in August 2023.
According to the junta’s spokesperson, these elections are part of an “official transition timetable” adopted by the Cabinet Meeting. However, the timetable is still considered “indicative” and needs to be validated during a national conference involving government officials, civil society groups, and other stakeholders in April 2024.
Additionally, the military government plans to hold a referendum on a proposed new constitution in either November or December 2024.
The military takeover occurred on August 30, 2023, after the country’s electoral commission announced that President Ali Bongo had been re-elected for a third term. Critics of the Bongo family, who have held power in Gabon since 1967, claim that they have not adequately distributed the country’s oil and mining wealth among its 2 million inhabitants.
Albert Ondo Ossa, the leading opposition candidate during the previous election, referred to the coup as a “family affair” due to the familial relationship between President Ali Bongo and General Brice Oligui Nguema, the leader of the coup.
These upcoming elections in 2025 mark a significant step towards a transition to civilian rule in Gabon after the two-year military rule. The nation now looks forward to a democratic process that will determine its political future.
