N'DJAMENA, Chad – Chad's parliament has voted in support of a new constitution that would abolish the prime minister and allow the longtime president to serve two more terms.
Lawyer Senoussi Ali Abdoulaye tells Chadian National Radio the vote means more power will be concentrated in the hands of President Idriss Deby, who has been in office since 1990.
Opposition members and civil society groups demonstrated against the new constitution, which was approved in a 132-2 vote Monday.
It abolishes the constitutional council and high court of justice and introduces a six-year presidential term, replacing the current five-year one. It also re-imposes a two-term limit that will not be retroactively applied, meaning that Deby can serve two more terms after 2021 elections.
Deby must sign off on the parliament vote.
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