Constitutional referendum before year's end

A referendum on a new constitution will be held before the end of the year and political leaders feel it will lay the foundation for a more stable democracy, AFP reported on Friday. A census of eligible voters, hundreds of thousands of whom were displaced by years of civil war, is due for completion by the end of October, government spokesman Francois Ibovi was quoted as saying. Opposition parties have accused the government of trying to manipulate electoral lists by conducting the census, a charge Ibovi rejects. The general elections that will follow the referendum are expected to give the president and head of state full executive powers to appoint and dismiss ministers. President Denis Sassou-Nguesso announced the constitutional referendum in August. However, formation of a national elections commission, recommended during all-party talks in March and April, has still not been set up. Delegates to the talks recommended that the commission be made up of representatives from government, the different opposition political parties and civil society.