In Central African Republic, constitutional court validates referendum results on adopting new constitution

The Central African Republic is set to adopt a new constitution after the country’s high court validated the results of a national referendum. According to the constitutional court, 95 percent of voters favored a new constitution that expands executive power. President Faustin Archange Touadera and his ruling party proposed changes that remove presidential term limits and expands terms from five to seven years. The new constitution will replace the one adopted at Touadera’s inauguration in 2016, when the country was in a civil war and 80% of it was not under state control. The changes could extend the ruling party’s rule indefinitely, analysts say. [...] Jean-Pierre Ouaboue, President of the Constitutional Court, said just over 57 percent of voters came to the polls — lower than the electoral commission’s initial estimates on Aug. 7.
Read the full article here: ABC News