The 1973

Constitution of Equatorial Guinea The Constitution of Equatorial Guinea ( es, Ley Fundamental de Guinea Ecuatorial) is the basic document of that country. It was approved in 1991 and amended in 1995. In 2011, a referendum was held on a series of constitutional amendments.Tristan M ...

was the country's second constitution. It was submitted, without the participation of international observers, to a

popular referendum A popular referendum (also known, depending on jurisdiction, as citizens' veto, people's veto, veto referendum, citizen referendum, abrogative referendum, rejective referendum, suspensive referendum or statute referendum)Maija SetäläReferendum ...

on July 29, 1973, obtaining 99% of votes in favor. and subsequently published in the Official Gazette in August of the same year, under the government of Francisco Macías.

Background

At the request of President Macías, an expert advisor in constitutional law sent by the

Cuban government Cuba has had a socialist political system since 1959 based on the "one state – one party" principle. Cuba is constitutionally defined as a Marxist–Leninist state. The present Constitution of Cuba, which was passed in a 2019 referendum, also ...

participated in its elaboration, and was integrated into the Equatoguinean Commission in charge of drafting the constitutional text. Although

Antonio García-Trevijano Antonio García-Trevijano Forte (18 July 1927 – 28 February 2018) was a Spanish republican lawyer, notary public, jurist, philosopher, art critic, author and political activist. Born in Alhama de Granada, he was a prominent figure in the oppos ...

is attributed a prominent role in the drafting of the text, in 1979 the former Minister of the Interior, Angel Másié Ntutumu, denied such intervention. The Constitution was drafted during a congress of the

United National Workers' Party The United National Workers' Party ( es, Partido Único Nacional de los Trabajadores, lit=Sole National Workers' Party, PUNT) was a political party in Equatorial Guinea. It was the only political party in the country from 1970 to 1979, during t ...

(PUNT).

Content

The new constitution granted absolute powers to the

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

, and annulled the provincial administrations; the island of Fernando Poo (present-day Bioko Island) was renamed "Island of Macias Nguema Biyogo". According to the text, the country was constituted as a Democratic and Popular Republic, and among the objectives of the State was to "consolidate the ideological principles proclaimed by the

". The rights of freedom of speech and thought were guaranteed, but the press and other means of communication remained under the direct control of the State. Although it is established that political posts are elected by universal suffrage every five years, "in recognition of the high virtues and exalted achievements for the benefit of the Fatherland, the Honorable and Great Comrade Francisco Macías is proclaimed President for Life", in line with what was already established by Constitutional Law in July 1972. Likewise, according to Article 56 ("The National People's Assembly shall be composed of sixty deputies proposed by the Party") and Article 60 ("The Party has the power to revoke the mandate of its deputies, at any time, for deviation from the political line of the Party or other serious cause") and other similar articles, the Single United National Workers' Party came to have all the power.Guinea Ecuatorial: de colonia a sultanato
Paula García Ascanio, 2010 It was in force until the August 1979 coup d'état carried out by

Teodoro Obiang Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (; born 5 June 1942) is an Equatoguinean politician and former military officer who has served as the second president of Equatorial Guinea since August 1979. He is the longest-serving president of any country eve ...

, the so-called Freedom Coup that established the Supreme Military Council of Equatorial Guinea, although a new Constitution was not approved until August 1982.

References

{{Reflist 1973 in Equatorial Guinea Constitutions of Equatorial Guinea

Background

Content

See also

References