Bissau News: On the 17th, President Vaz of Guinea-Bissau signed a presidential decree appointing Carlos Correia, the First Vice President of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), the majority party in parliament, as the new Prime Minister.
It is reported that President Vaz made the appointment after receiving the nomination for the new Prime Minister from the PAIGC. On the 16th, Vaz publicly stated that he would leave the decision regarding the new Prime Minister to the PAIGC. The PAIGC held a Political Bureau meeting on the evening of the 16th and voted to nominate its First Vice President, Correia, for the position of Prime Minister.
Previously, disregarding opposition from his own party, the PAIGC, President Vaz had appointed Baciro Djá, the party's Third Vice President and former Minister of the Council of Ministers and Parliamentary Affairs, as Prime Minister. However, this appointment was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Guinea-Bissau, forcing Baciro Djá to resign. According to the Supreme Court's ruling, regarding the appointment of the Prime Minister, the President has a responsibility to listen to the opinions of various political parties, and the President cannot appoint a Prime Minister outside the framework of his own party.
Correia, 81, is a veteran member of the PAIGC and has previously served as the Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau three times. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)