BANGUI — The Constitutional Court of the Central African Republic has confirmed President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s victory in the country’s disputed December 28 presidential election, clearing the legal path for him to begin a third term in office and extending a decade-long rule that has reshaped the nation’s politics, security architecture, and foreign alliances.
In a decision announced this week, the court declared Touadéra president-elect in the first round with 77.9 percent of the vote, rejecting an appeal filed by his main challenger, former prime minister Anicet-Georges Dologuélé. Jean-Pierre Waboe, president of the Constitutional Council, said the ruling reflected the will of the Central African people and marked the end of the electoral process.
The judgment closes the final institutional avenue for contesting an election that opposition figures had denounced as fraudulent even before provisional results were announced on January 5. Touadéra’s government has repeatedly denied those accusations, insisting the vote was conducted transparently despite logistical and security challenges in a country still grappling with chronic instability.
Dologuélé, who finished second with 13.5 percent of the vote, had argued that the election was marred by widespread irregularities, including manipulation of results and bias by state institutions in favor of the incumbent. Speaking earlier this month, he claimed there had been a “methodical attempt to manipulate” the outcome and insisted that voters had expressed a desire for political change. The court’s rejection of his appeal, however, has left the opposition fractured and with limited options for further challenge.
Another former prime minister, Henri-Marie Dondra, who secured just under 3 percent of the vote, opted not to contest the results. In a public statement, Dondra said his decision was motivated by a desire to preserve peace and avoid reigniting political tensions. He called on Touadéra to take concrete steps toward reconciliation and to organize an inclusive national dialogue to ease divisions — a message that resonates in a country where political disputes have often spilled into violence.
Touadéra, 68, first came to power in 2016 after elections intended to steer the Central African Republic out of a brutal civil conflict that erupted in 2013. A former mathematics professor and university rector, he initially presented himself as a technocrat capable of restoring order to a fractured state. Over the past ten years, his presidency has been marked by both relative security gains and growing concerns about democratic backsliding.
Central to the current controversy is a constitutional referendum held in 2023 that removed presidential term limits and reset the electoral clock, allowing Touadéra to seek another mandate. Supporters framed the changes as necessary to ensure continuity and stability in a fragile nation. Critics, however, saw them as a calculated effort to entrench power and weaken institutional checks, a pattern increasingly familiar across parts of the continent.
During the campaign, Touadéra leaned heavily on his security record. His government has relied on a combination of national forces, Rwandan troops, and Russian mercenaries to push back armed groups that once controlled much of the country’s territory. Authorities point to peace agreements signed this year with several rebel factions as evidence that the strategy is working, even as sporadic violence continues in remote regions.
For many voters, security remains the overriding concern. Years of conflict have displaced hundreds of thousands of people, devastated infrastructure, and left much of the population dependent on humanitarian aid. Touadéra’s allies argue that whatever the flaws of the electoral process, maintaining stability outweighs the risks of political upheaval.
Yet critics counter that stability built on contested legitimacy is inherently fragile. They warn that sidelining opposition voices and concentrating power in the executive could fuel resentment and undermine the very peace the government claims to have secured. Civil society groups have echoed these concerns, calling for reforms to strengthen electoral institutions and ensure greater transparency in future votes.
Beyond domestic politics, Touadéra’s third term carries significant geopolitical implications. Over the past several years, the Central African Republic has become a key arena for Russia’s expanding influence in Africa. Moscow has provided security assistance and political backing to Touadéra’s government, often in exchange for access to natural resources, including gold and diamonds. Russian involvement has extended beyond military cooperation to media, economic ventures, and political messaging, reshaping the country’s external relationships.
Western governments and human rights organizations have expressed unease about this partnership, citing allegations of abuses by foreign mercenaries and warning that resource-for-security deals risk undermining sovereignty and accountability. Touadéra’s administration has dismissed such criticism, arguing that it has the right to choose its partners and that foreign support has been instrumental in preventing the state from collapsing.
As Touadéra prepares to be sworn in for another term, the challenges ahead are formidable. The economy remains weak, public services are limited, and trust in institutions is uneven at best. Reconciliation efforts have repeatedly faltered, and many armed groups retain the capacity to disrupt daily life. Managing relations with powerful foreign allies while safeguarding national interests will require careful balancing.
For now, the Constitutional Court’s ruling has brought formal closure to the electoral dispute, but it has not resolved the deeper questions facing the Central African Republic. In Bangui’s markets and neighborhoods, reactions range from cautious relief to quiet skepticism. Some see the decision as a necessary step to avoid instability; others fear it signals a narrowing of democratic space.
Whether Touadéra’s renewed mandate will translate into lasting peace and inclusive governance — or entrench divisions in a nation long accustomed to political upheaval — remains uncertain. What is clear is that the court’s decision has set the country on a path that will shape its political and geopolitical trajectory for years to come.