December 27 marks the official conclusion of the electoral campaign for legislative and local elections in Chad, a pivotal moment for this country of nearly 18 million inhabitants.
Approximately eight million Chadians cast their votes on Sunday in legislative, provincial, and local elections. Voter turnout was estimated at 52.37% when polling stations closed. The day before the elections, the three-week electoral campaign came to an end. During this period, candidates traversed the country in an effort to win over voters. In a statement delivered late in the afternoon, Ahmed Bartchiret, President of the National Election Agency (A.N.G.E), expressed his satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the process.
With a remarkable total of 1,321 candidates running for legislative seats, 1,260 for provincial positions, and 6,150 for municipal councils, these elections represent an unprecedented triple vote in the country's political history. The National Election Agency underscored the importance of this milestone.
A Tense Political Climate
However, the citizen platform "Wakit Tamma" issued a press release on Friday urging Chadians to abstain from voting, describing the elections as "a sham orchestrated by a strong and dynastic regime." Youssouf Ahmat Ousmane, deputy coordinator of the platform, stated that "the electoral process is far from democratic and does not adhere to the fundamental principles of inclusivity and transparency."
Similarly, the Group for Political Actor Coordination (GCAP), comprising several opposition parties, conducted a parallel campaign calling for a boycott. The GCAP criticized the elections as "manipulated" and denounced the lack of genuine dialogue with the opposition and the absence of guarantees for a fair electoral process.
In this context, Chad finds itself at a crucial crossroads. Transitional President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno described the triple election as the "final step of the transition."
"The Chadians trust our words, and when we tell them that the results are already fabricated in computers, they know it to be true," declared Déby Junior.
Voting took place in 26,617 polling stations across the country, with the presence of about a hundred international observers and representatives from political parties.
