Guinea-Bissau is voting on Sunday in a referendum to decide on granting new presidential powers ahead of December's general election, which will return the West African nation to democracy after its latest coup.
A military government seized power in November of last year following a disputed election in which former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias both claimed victory.
If passed, the new constitution by the National Transitional Council will grant more powers to the president and reduce parliamentary representation, among other issues.
The authorities argue that a parliament trimmed from 102 to 65 seats would allow for easier and more robust debates, while new presidential powers would underline the higher authority of the president over the prime minister, which they claim could strengthen political stability. Opposition groups reject the claim.
But the opposition has called on voters to boycott the referendum, saying it is a path for the head of the military government to amass power and calling it a "source of political instability at all levels".
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