Gabon votes on new constitution hailed by junta as 'turning point'

A voter casts her ballot at a polling station during Gabon's referendum in Libreville, on November 16, 2024.[AFP]

Gabon on Saturday held a referendum on a new constitution that the ruling junta calls a "major turning point" after a coup ended 55 years of rule by the Bongo dynasty in the oil-rich nation.

The central African country's 860,000 registered voters have faced an onslaught of calls by authorities on TV, radio and social media to make their ballot count -- whether they choose a green one meaning "yes" or a red one for "no".