Guinea-Bissau is going back to the political crisis it just exited. New Prime Minister Bacito Dja (photo) announced, on 9th September, his resignation, after the invalidation of his appointment by the Supreme Court.

Mr. Dja, whose government was sworn in on 7th September, was appointed in August following the deposition of PM Domingos Simoes Pereira by President José Mario Vaz. "The president of the Republic has just informed me that the Supreme Court has declared my appointment as unconstitutional at position of Prime Minister, subsequently I am withdrawing from my functions", Mr. Dja declared.

Prior to this, the majority party in Parliament, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court, against the presidential order on the appointment of the new prime minister on 20th August. The court "declared formally and materially unconstitutional" the appointment of Mr. Dja. The Bissau-Guinean constitution stipulates that the position of prime minister should be awarded to the leader of the legislative elections winning party.

PAIGC, to which the president belongs, had contested the deposing of Domingos Simoes Pereira on 12 August.

Mr. Dja was nevertheless able to form his government thanks to an agreement with the Party for Social Renewal (PRS), second party in parliament with 41 MPs out of 102 and the rallying of at least 10 members of PAIGC.

Disagreements between the president and the ex-prime minister on several issues, including the choice of the future chief of staff of armed forces, were at the root of the crisis which ended with the deposition of Domingos Simoes Pereira.