Gabon’s parliament approves law expanding voting rights
Gabon’s Senate has approved a new electoral law designed to make elections more inclusive and accessible.
The decision, which followed approval by the National Assembly, was announced by Eloi Ekouma Abessolo, a senior Senate official, during a broadcast on national television.
The law was created by a national commission established in December 2024 by transitional President Brice Oligui Nguema.
It includes 383 provisions aimed at reforming how elections are conducted in the country, local reports say.
These provisions include the introduction of two parliamentary seats reserved for Gabonese citizens living abroad.
This move is seen as an effort to include the diaspora in Gabon’s political process.
The new law also allows dual nationals to run for office in all elections except the presidency without being required to renounce their other nationality.
The legislation also shifts the responsibility for organising elections from local governments to the interior ministry. This move is aimed at streamlining the electoral process.
