# Referendum abolishes presidential term limits and stretches the mandate to seven years

Date: 2023

## The fact

On 30 July 2023 the Central African Republic held a constitutional referendum that abolished the two-term presidential cap and stretched the mandate from five years to seven. Opposition boycotted. The Constitutional Court on 21 August validated 95.03 percent yes with 57.23 percent official turnout. Critics said turnout was far lower. BBC recorded Wagner help.

## Context

He announced the date on 30 May. The draft was published 10 July. He promulgated on 30 August, opening the Seventh Republic. Wagner commanders are unresolved. This page does not mint ukraine-war.

30 July vote; 21 August validation; 30 August promulgation. Stored as one 30 July 2023 Fact. Keep Referendum abolishes presidential term limits and stretches the mandate to seven years on 2023-07-30 separate from neighbouring [Touadéra](/people/faustin-archange-touadera) instruments.

The President of the Central African Republic is head of state. He can issue a decree retiring a court president, call a referendum, and promulgate a constitution. He does not write HRW notes, BBC dispatches, or Security Council reports.

## Evidence and sources

United Nations Security Council carries the official instrument or communique. BBC News records the same dated act independently.

## Significance

The path is the owned Wagner-CAR driver: a completed abolition of the scheduled rotation.

## What is established and what is not

Established: The 30 July 2023 referendum passed as validated on 21 August. The text removed the two-term cap and stretched the mandate to seven years.

Not established: A unique turnout integer reconciling 57.23 percent with critics’ lower figure, or that Wagner commanders are minted.

What would change the picture: a contradictory original with a different date or name, a later repeal, a court that vacated the instrument, or a measured series that can be argued, with lag and alternatives, as a consequence of this instrument rather than of later institutions.

The date is the date of this instrument, not a licence to back-date every later harm or benefit.

Sharing ECCAS observer notes is not a reason to drop 30 July 2023.. A later repeal, court stay, or successor order would be a different Fact with a different date. That pair identifies Referendum abolishes presidential term limits and stretches the mandate to seven years, not a later speech about Referendum abolishes presidential term limits and stretches the mandate to seven years.

Co-authors and later implementers named in Context remain on the file. Referendum abolishes presidential term limits and stretches the mandate to seven years on 2023-07-30 is not a licence to treat every later United Nations Security Council communique as this same act. If a later repeal, stay, or successor instrument exists, it needs its own date and its own row. This dossier refuses to average Referendum abolishes presidential term limits and stretches the mandate to seven years into a personality. The contribution described on this Person row is limited to He called the referendum and promulgated the text. Sharing ECCAS observer notes is not a reason to drop 30 July 2023. That limit is the alternative to treating office-holding as authorship of every later series.

## People

- Faustin-Archange Touadéra: https://factrail.ai/people/faustin-archange-touadera

## Drivers

- Electoral Integrity and Competitiveness: https://factrail.ai/drivers/electoral-integrity-and-competitiveness
- Civic Space: https://factrail.ai/drivers/civic-space
- Touadéra Wagner CAR: https://factrail.ai/drivers/touadera-wagner-car

## Sources

- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66428935
- https://reliefweb.int/report/central-african-republic/central-african-republic-report-secretary-general-s2023769-enarruzh

## Methodology

https://factrail.ai/methodology

Canonical: https://factrail.ai/facts/cf-touadera-referendum-2023