Burundi: 2018 Burundi referendum results

Updated April 2020

The constitutional referendum was held on 17 May 2018 (INEC 2018).

Proposed Changes

The changes included (i) reducing the number of Vice-Presidents from two to one, (ii) increasing the presidential term from five to seven years (limited to two consecutive years) and (iii) lowering the legislative threshold needed to pass a law from two-thirds to a simple majority (Atlantic Council, 2018).

Importantly, the changes would "reset" the incumbent Pierre Nkuruzinza's term and therefore the past terms the incumbent served would not be taken into account should the referendum be succussful

Voting statistics

Registered voters	4 768 154
Ballots cast	4 248 057
Percentage poll	96.2
Valid ballots	4 586 730
Invalid ballots	338 573
% Invalid or blank ballots	7.38

Table source

INEC 2018.

Official final results

Choice	Ballots	Percentage
Yes	3,359,493	79.08
No	888,564	20.92
Total	4,586,730	100.00

Table source

INEC 2018.

Reference

ATLANTIC COUNCIL 2018 "BURUNDI'S FLAWED CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM", [www] https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africasource/burundi-s-flawed-constitutional-referendum/ (online 10 April 2020).

INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTION COMMISSION 2018 "2018 Burundi referendum results", [www] https://www.ceniburundi.bi/IMG/pdf/rcc356-2.pdf (offline 10 April 2020).