- Title: Central Africa referendum vote could extend Touadera's rule
- Date: 30th July 2023
- Summary: BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (JULY 30, 2023) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF VOTERS LOOKING AT REGISTRATION INFORMATION ON POLLING STATION WALL VOTERS QUEUEING WOMAN LOOKING FOR HER NAME ON VOTER REGISTRATION DOCUMENT VOTERS QUEUEING MAN TAKING DOCUMENTS FROM POLLING STATION WORKER, WALKING TO VOTING BOOTH MAN SIGNING REGISTRATION DOCUMENTS MAN DROPPING BALLOT IN BOX, POLLING STATION WORKER SAYING (French): "VOTED!" WOMAN DROPPING BALLOT IN BOX, POLLING STATION WORKER SAYING (French): "VOTED!" (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOTER, JEAN CHRISTOPHE NGOYA, SAYING: "Right now, we have no interest in doubting this country. We have no interest in doubting in order to vote. We have to come and vote to respond. That's the duty of a Central African citizen. From East to West, from North to South, it's in everyone's interest to come out and vote massively for our country." PRESIDENTIAL VEHICLE CONVOY APPROACHING POLLING STATION PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, FAUSTIN-ARCHANGE TOUADERA, HANDING REGISTRATION CARD TO POLLING STATION WORKER TOUADERA SIGNING DOCUMENT TOUADERA WALKING THROUGH CROWD TOUADERA DIPPING FINGER IN INK TOUADERA DROPPING BALLOT IN BOX (SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, FAUSTIN-ARCHANGE TOUADERA, SAYING: "I came to fulfil my civic duty, like all my fellow Africans. I came to vote. I am proud to do so." VOTERS IN QUEUE WOMAN LOOKING AT VOTER REGISTRATION DOCUMENT MAN DROPPING BALLOT IN BOX (SOUNDBITE) (French) VOTER, LAURENA SABINDO SAYING: "It's important to support the Central African Republic. As a bi-national myself, I really wanted to insist on coming here, to be able to take part in the vote for my country." BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (RECENT - JULY 16, 2023) (REUTERS) TOUADERA HIGH-FIVING PEOPLE IN CAMPAIGN RALLY CROWD WAGNER GROUP SECURITY GUARDS WALKING IN FRONT OF TOUADERA VARIOUS OF WAGNER GROUP SECURITY GUARDS WALKING THROUGH CROWD TOUADERA WALKING THROUGH CROWD WAGNER GROUP SECURITY GUARD TOUADERA SITTING ON STAGE VARIOUS OF WAGNER GROUP SECURITY GUARD TOUADERA WALKING THROUGH CROWD
- Embargoed: 13th August 2023 17:23
- Keywords: africa bitcoin central change conflicts constitution crypto elections emerging government group insurgencies lawmakers lawmaking markets military peace politics president republic russia voting wagner war
- Location: BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
- City: BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
- Country: Central African Republic
- Topics: Africa,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001102430072023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Central African Republic voted on a constitutional referendum on Sunday (July 30) which, if it passes, could remove a presidential term limit and allow President Faustin-Archange Touadera to run for a third term in 2025.
Touadera was first elected in 2016 for a five-year term and won reelection in 2020 for what was supposed to be his final term in office.
The new constitution would reset the clock, allowing him to run for a fresh seven-year mandate, and the number of terms he or another candidate could run for president would be unlimited.
Opposition parties and some civil society groups have called for a boycott of the referendum, saying it was designed to keep Touadera in power for life.
(Production: Serge Leger Kokpakpa, Joel Kouam Honore, Cooper Inveen) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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