2024 Chadian presidential election
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 Africa portal |
Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Chad on 6 May 2024, with a second round, if necessary, to be held on 22 June 2024.[1][2] The elections will follow a constitutional referendum held on 17 December 2023, following the death of President Idriss Déby in 2021.[3][4] Incumbent transitional president Mahamat Déby, the son of the previous president Idriss Déby, is running for a full term as the candidate of the Patriotic Salvation Movement, potentially leading to an extension of 33 years of rule by the Déby family.[5][6][7]
Electoral system[edit]
The President of Chad is elected for a five-year term using a two-round system, with an absolute majority required in the first round to prevent a second round of voting.
Background[edit]
In October 2023 the ruling Mahamat Déby extended the transition period for another two years. Despite previously declaring that he was not intending to succeed his father, this time he also declared that he was eligible for election for a full term. Chad's security forces gunned down at least 128 protesting people in a day and arrested hundreds more.[7]
Following the announcement of the election date on 28 February 2024, clashes broke out in the capital N'Djamena after the government said that supporters of the opposition Socialist Party without Borders (PSF) attacked the headquarters of the National State Security Agency (ANSE), and attempted to assassinate the head of the Supreme Court, Samir Adam Annour. Government forces subsequently laid siege to PSF headquarters, resulting in several deaths,[8] including that of PSF leader Yaya Dillo Djérou, Deby's cousin who had announced his intention to run for president and was regarded as his main opponent,[9] in what authorities said was a shootout.[10]
The attacks were condemned by the African Union, while French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian called for an impartial investigation into the incident.[11]
On 12 April 2024 the United Chad party filed a complaint against the United Chad coalition of Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, accusing it of plagiarism.[12]
Candidates[edit]
The Chadian electoral commission announced that it would release the official list of candidates approved by the Constitutional Council on 24 March 2024.[1]
Nominated candidates[edit]
| Candidate's name, age, political party |
Experience | Campaign | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahamat Déby (39) Patriotic Salvation Movement |
|
Incumbent Transitional President of Chad (2022–present) President of the Transitional Military Council (2021–2022) |
Initially in 2021 Déby promised he would not stand in the poll to succeed his father.[7] However on 13 January 2024, he was announced as the nominee of the Patriotic Salvation Movement by party secretary Mahamat Zene Bada.[13] He confirmed his candidacy on 2 March as a candidate of the wider For a United Chad coalition.[14] | ||
Les Transformateurs[edit]
- Succès Masra, incumbent Prime Minister of Chad (2024–present).[15] His candidacy was approved by the Constitutional Court.[16] On 10 March 2024 that he had accepted his party's nomination of him as its candidate for the presidential election.[17] After being pursued by the junta with an international arrest warrant, he returned to Chad in November 2023 after signing an agreement with the government.[7] It is the first time in Chad's history that a president and a prime minister will face each other in a presidential election.[18]
The candidacies of ten candidates in total were approved.[19]
Withdrawn candidates[edit]
Socialist Party Without Borders[edit]
- Yaya Dillo Djérou, killed by government forces shortly after the vote date announcement.[9]
Rejected candidates[edit]
- Nassour Ibrahim Neguy Koursami, rejected because of "irregularities" in application.[20]
- Rakhis Ahmat Saleh, rejected because of "irregularities" in application.[20]
The candidacies of ten candidates in total were rejected.[20]
Campaign[edit]
On 15 March, the period for submitting applications ended, around fifteen candidates submitted their applications to the Constitutional Council.[21]
On 16 March the "We the People" coalition demanded the postponement of the presidential election and the opening of an inclusive national dialogue.[22] On 23 March the opposition platform Wakit Tamma called for a boycott of the presidential election, criticizing a “masquerade” whose results were known in advance.[23] On 13 April bishops of Chad called on the political parties for the smooth running of the presidential election.[24]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "Chad's election agency sets dates for presidential polls". Africanews. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ "Chad To Hold Presidential Vote On May 6 To End Junta Rule". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
- ^ "Chad's president delays elections and expands his powers". Deutsche Welle. 13 October 2022.
- ^ "Chad Leaders Urge Civilians to Participate in Sunday's Constitutional Referendum". Voice of America. 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
- ^ "Chad's Idriss Deby, a longstanding French ally in the troubled Sahel". France 24. 20 April 2021. Archived from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ Henningsen, Troels Burchall (15 September 2021). "Chad has a new roadmap: why it may lead to more of the same, and not democracy". The Conversation. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
- ^ a b c d "Will Chad be the next Western ally in Africa to fail?". The Economist. 2023-11-23. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
- ^ "Chad announces several deaths after foiled intelligence office attack". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Chadian opposition leader dies in gun exchange, state prosecutor says". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-03-03.
- ^ "Yaya Dillo: Chad opposition leader killed in shootout". BBC. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ Larcher, Laurent (11 March 2021). "Au Tchad, la campagne présidentielle se durcit". La Croix (in French). Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- ^ "Ndjamena: le premier dépositaire du nom «Tchad uni» porte plainte contre la coalition de Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno" [N'djamena: the first custodian of the name “United Chad” files a complaint against the coalition of Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno]. Radio France International (in French). 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "Opposition condemns designation of Chad's military ruler as presidential candidate". Voice of America. The Standard. 16 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
- ^ "Chad's transitional leader Déby confirms candidacy for May 6 presidential vote". France 24. 2 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
- ^ "Chad's transitional leader General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno candidate for 2024 elections". North Africa Post. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ "Chad: Mahamat Deby, Success Masra among 10 cleared candidates for presidential election". Africanews. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
- ^ "Success Masra declares candidacy for Chad's presidency". Africanews. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
- ^ "Chad main opposition figures barred as leaders cleared for election". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
- ^ "Chad: Mahamat Deby, Success Masra among 10 cleared candidates for presidential election". Africanews. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
- ^ a b c "Chad court bars key Déby opponents from May 6 presidential vote". France 24. 2024-03-24. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
- ^ "Afrique Tchad: fin du dépôt des candidatures pour l'élection présidentielle". RFI (in French). 16 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ "Tchad: la coalition «Nous le Peuple» demande le report de la présidentielle" [Chad: the “We the People” coalition calls for the presidential election to be postponed]. RFI (in French). 17 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- ^ "Au Tchad, l'une des principales plateformes de l'opposition appelle au boycott de la présidentielle". Jeune Afrique (in French). 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
- ^ "Afrique Présidentielle au Tchad: les évêques appellent au bon déroulement de la campagne électorale". Radio France International. 13 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
