The Democratic Republic of the Congo's National Assembly on June 9 adopted a controversial referendum bill that, should the Senate approve it at second reading, will replace the country's 2005 referendum law and strengthen the powers of the president to call a referendum, creating a legal framework that could eventually enable constitutional reform, RFI reported on June 10. Under the pending legislation, if a referendum approves the principle of constitutional change, a Constituent Assembly comprising national and provincial elected officials would be convened to draft and approve revisions, requiring a three-fifths majority before the final text is submitted to a popular vote.