In Gabon, president proposes constitutional amendment to shorten presidential term to five years

Gabon President Ali Bongo on [13 February] proposed shortening the presidential mandate from seven to five years as he began consultations to prepare for elections this year and measures to prevent violence. More than two days of deadly unrest followed Gabon's last elections in 2016 after the opposition rejected Ali Bongo's victory and alleged fraud. "On the eve of future general elections, I have today decided to set the term of office for all elections to five years," Bongo said on [13 February]. The move will require constitutional reform and a vote in parliament. He has not said whether he will run for a third term in the 2023 race for which an exact date has not yet been set. There are currently no constitutional term limits in Gabon.
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