President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has secured a third term in office after winning an overwhelming majority in last month’s presidential election in the Central African Republic, according to provisional results released by the country’s electoral authority.
The 68-year-old leader, a former mathematics professor, was widely tipped to retain power after the main opposition coalition boycotted the vote, arguing that the electoral process lacked fairness and transparency.
Preliminary figures show Touadéra received 76% of the vote in the 28 December election. His nearest rivals, former prime ministers Anicet-Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra, came a distant second and third with 15% and 3% respectively.
Both opposition candidates have rejected the outcome and called for the election results to be annulled, alleging widespread irregularities and deliberate manipulation of the process. Dologuélé said there had been a coordinated effort to influence the final outcome, claims which the government has strongly denied.
More than 2.4 million voters were registered for the polls, which observers described as largely peaceful despite logistical challenges, including late delivery of voting materials and issues with the electoral register.
Touadéra’s victory comes amid ongoing criticism over constitutional changes approved in 2023 that removed presidential term limits, paving the way for him to remain in power beyond the previous limits.
He campaigned heavily on his record of restoring security in a country that has faced persistent instability since 2013, when rebel forces overthrew then-president François Bozizé. The prolonged conflict prompted the government to seek military assistance from Russian mercenaries and Rwandan troops.
Although a peace agreement signed in 2019 with 14 armed groups helped ease tensions, several factions later withdrew, and insecurity remains a concern in parts of the country.
The Constitutional Court has until 20 January to review any legal challenges and officially declare the final results.
The Central African Republic remains one of the world’s poorest nations despite its vast natural resources, including diamonds and uranium. The United Nations estimates that around half of the population relies on humanitarian assistance.
Analysts say Touadéra’s continued leadership could further strengthen Russia’s influence in the country, which has received security support in exchange for access to valuable resources such as gold and diamonds.