1989 Comorian constitutional referendum

A constitutional referendum was held in the Comoros on 5 November 1989. The proposed amendments to the constitution would allow incumbent President Ahmed Abdallah to run for a third term,[1] as well as creating the post of Prime Minister.

1989 Comorian constitutional referendum
5 November 1989 (1989-11-05)
Referendum on allowing Ahmed Abdallah to run for a third term and creating the position of PM
Results
Choice
 Votes  %
Yes 240,281 92.49%
No 19,500 7.51%
Valid votes 259,781 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00%
Total votes 259,781 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 265,222 97.95%
Politics of the Comoros

Arab League Member State of the Arab League

Constitution
Executive
Legislature
Judiciary
  • Supreme Court
Elections
Autonomous islands
Foreign relations

The official result was a 92.5 percent majority in favor of the amendments proposed by Abdallah.[2][1] This created "the conditions for a life presidency," warned one opposition leader.[1] Voting was marked by manipulation by the government.[1] Opposition groups reported that polling places lacked private voting booths, government officials blocked the entry of opposition poll watchers, and the army and police removed ballot boxes before voting ended.[1] Reaction to these abuses was unusually angry.[1] In Njazidja voters smashed ballot boxes rather than have them carted away by the army; the governor's office in Nzwani was set on fire, and a bomb was found outside the home of the minister of finance in Moroni.[1] More than 100 people were arrested following the referendum, and in subsequent weeks the international media described a deteriorating situation in the islands; Abdallah claimed that France "authorizes terrorism in the Comoros," and leaders of the banned opposition questioned the legitimacy of the referendum in public statements.[1]

On 26 November Abdallah was killed during a coup led by Said Mohamed Djohar.

Results
Choice Votes %
For240,28192.5
Against19,5007.5
Invalid/blank votes–
Total259,781100
Registered voters/turnout265,22297.95
Source: African Elections Database

References
  1. Metz, Helen Chapin, ed. (1995). Indian Ocean : five island countries (3rd ed.). Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. p. 163. ISBN 0-8444-0857-3. OCLC 32508646. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  2. "Elections in the Comoros". African Elections Database. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.