Central African Republic Goes to Polls as President Seeks Third Term
On December 28, 2025, about 2.3 million registered voters in the Central African Republic (CAR) head to the polls in a quadruple election including the presidency, parliament, local and municipal offices. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra seeks a third term after being in power since 2016 and having previously served as prime minister from 2008 to 2013. In a 2023 constitutional referendum, term limits were scrapped and presidential mandates extended from five to seven years.
Seven candidates are on the presidential ballot, including former prime ministers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra, both cleared by the constitutional court after earlier bans. Dologuélé was runner-up in the 2015 and 2020 elections. The opposition aims to leverage public frustration amid ongoing daily conflict, which has caused more than 500,000 internally displaced people and a similar number of refugees in neighboring countries.
A peace accord was signed in April with the two main rebel groups. UN officials acknowledge tangible progress but note challenges remain. The UN peacekeeping mission Minusca, with a mandate renewed until next year, continues to provide security and logistical support. Foreign influence and security arrangements remain prominent, with the Wagner mercenary group operating in CAR since 2018. President Touadéra resists integrating Wagner into the Africa Corps, while Rwanda pursues its own approach, including a livestock operation near Bangui.
Election administration faces concerns over voter-list irregularities, as lists were published online rather than physically, raising fears of disenfranchisement. Some opposition politicians have threatened a boycott. Despite optimism about stabilisation and peace consolidation, concerns persist about supply-chain issues and violence potentially disrupting voting, especially in rural areas.
