Gambia Rejects New Constitution That Allows Barrow to Extend His Rule

Gambian lawmakers rejected a new draft constitution that imposed presidential term limits, but contained a loophole that would have allowed President Adama Barrow to run for re-election after his current five-year term ends in 2027.

The draft would limit presidents to two five-year stints in office – replacing the current constitution that has no such restriction – but it would permit whoever was in power when it became law to start with a clean slate, potentially extending Barrow’s rule by a decade.