Op-ed: The problems with Liberia's upcoming constitutional referendum

By Robtel Neajai Pailey, 2 December 2020
President George Weah of Liberia (photo credit: GovernmentZA/flickr)
President George Weah of Liberia (photo credit: GovernmentZA/flickr)
In a confusing about-face last month, Liberia’s Supreme Court undermined its own ruling that a controversial referendum, scheduled for December 8 alongside the nation-wide legislative elections, is unconstitutional. Instead of explicitly cancelling the referendum, as most Liberian opposition parties and civil society actors have urged for weeks, the Supreme Court recommended instead that the eight propositions under consideration should be printed clearly in an Official Gazette and on ballots enabling the electorate to vote for or against each separately and independently. This has buoyed footballer-turned-president George Oppong Weah, whose administration is using the referendum as a pretext to implement sweeping constitutional changes that may open up a small window for him to seek an illegitimate third term in office.
Read the full article here: Liberian Observer

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