Central African Republic's President Faustin-Archange Touadera has defended his call for a referendum in July that would determine scrapping of presidential term limits.
The constitution currently provides for presidents to serve a maximum of two terms of four years each. President Touadera, 66, is serving his second term.
In an address to the nation on May 30, the president said a draft of the new charter would be submitted to a referendum.
He said: ‘’The decision to hold a referendum was made after consultations with the presidents of the Constitutional Court and the National Assembly.’’
"To those who have reason to fear the advent of a new constitution, I would like to reassure them," Touadera said, noting he was responding to public demands for change.
Calls to cancel the two terms (eight years) currently in force in the country for political offices like the president and lawmakers came alive last year from Touadera's allies, who argued that presidential term limits were uncommon in many neighbouring countries.
Critics and opposition parties, however, held protests last year, arguing that the reform would allow Touadera to run again in 2025 for a third term.
The news agency AFP reported in September that the president installed a commission to draft the proposed changes, but the country's top court ruled the committee unconstitutional and annulled it.
A presidential decree issued later on Tuesday said the referendum would start on July 15 and end on July 28.
The 66-year-old came to power in 2016 following a civil war unleashed by the overthrow of former President Francois Bozize three years earlier. He was re-elected in 2020 after an offensive by rebel groups, including some backing Bozize, briefly threatened the capital, Bangui.
Touadera had previously proposed amending the constitution to allow himself and other lawmakers to remain in office if elections are delayed.
