São Tomé & Principe
New São Toméan constitution takes effect

afrol News, 5 March - A new constitution has taken effect in São Tomé and Príncipe, it was heralded by the government 'Diário da República'. The new constitution puts an end to the islands' recent political instability by limiting the powers of the presidency.

The new constitution had been approved by President Fradique de Menezes on 25 January, after a week of conflict between the President and the São Toméan parliament. According to 'Diário da República', the new constitution came to effect earlier this week. 

The novelties in the new constitution are the creation of a Constitutional Court and a State Council. The new Constitutional Court was created after President Menezes and shifting parliaments had deadlocked the government in several power struggles over constitutional matters. 

The São Toméan President had to agree to lose some of his powers. With the new constitution, Mr Menezes is not longer allowed to dissolve parliament, which had been among his main weapons in earlier power struggles. This, in practical terms, strengthens the parliament's right to approve or disapprove government.

Still, the new constitution recognises that São Tomé is governed in a "semi-presidential" way. The presidency therefore is to remain more than a ceremonial institution. The practical limitations of the powers of the President and of parliament are however diffuse and are set to be tested in the new Constitutional Court.

The political crisis in São Tomé - which was reaching its climax on 21 January when President Menezes dissolved parliament - thus seems to be over. The crisis was rooted in years of power struggle on who had the last word on naming a government. 

The January crisis was a direct product of the process to define a new constitution that would better define the powers of São Tomé's different state institutions. As parliament's approved proposal went far in stripping the President off his powers, Mr Menezes answered by dissolving it. The President later on withdrew this decision after Prime Minister Maria das Neves had presented a somewhat milder constitutional draft, which later was approved by both sides.


 

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