The Senate of Gabon has officially approved the revised electoral code, aligning with the version adopted by the National Assembly, as announced by Venerable Eloi Ekouma Abessolo, the Senate’s chief rapporteur for the Law Commission. This announcement came during a press conference broadcast on national public television following the vote.
The 168 deputies and senators, convened in an extraordinary session, approved the bill after ten days of review. The 383-article document was crafted by a national commission appointed in early December by transition President Brice Oligui Nguema.
Notable provisions of the new law include the allocation of two parliamentary seats for Gabonese citizens living abroad, as well as a historic move allowing dual nationals to run for all elections, except the presidency, without needing to renounce their other nationality.
The decision marks a significant step in Gabon’s electoral reform, strengthening the inclusion of the diaspora and extending political participation opportunities to a broader segment of the population.
