The Constitutional Council of the Central African Republic has announced the final list of candidates for the presidential election scheduled for December 28, which includes only seven contenders.
Leading the list is incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, seeking a third term following the 2023 constitutional amendment that sparked widespread controversy for paving the way for his extended stay in power. Touadéra, who first assumed the presidency in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020, faces growing criticism from the opposition, which argues that the constitutional change undermines democratic rotation and strengthens presidential authority.
Other prominent candidates include former Prime Minister Henri-Marie Dondra and opposition figure Anicet-Georges Dologuélé. Both candidates were involved in legal disputes related to dual nationality; Dologuélé renounced his French citizenship in August, only to lose his original nationality by a court decision in October, prompting him to file a complaint with the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
The list also features four additional candidates: Serge Gislan Djory, Aristide Brian Ribois, Eddy Simforian Kabarkuti, and Marcelin Yalimende. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Council rejected three other applications for failing to meet the legal requirements.
The December elections will not only determine the presidency but also include legislative, regional, and municipal elections, in a country that has long faced complex security and economic crises.
Concerns are rising over the integrity of the electoral process after the largest opposition coalition announced its boycott, describing the vote as a “closed and manipulated election.” Approximately 2.3 million voters are expected to participate, amid uncertainty about the country’s ability to conduct a poll that could shape its political future.