Chadians headed to the polls on Sunday in a parliamentary election widely seen as a turning point for the nation’s political future.
The election, boycotted by key opposition groups, is expected to bolster President Mahamat Idriss Deby’s hold on power, three years after he declared himself interim leader following his father’s battlefield death.
With over 8 million registered voters, this is Chad’s first legislative election in over a decade. Alongside parliamentary seats, voters are also electing local and municipal representatives. “This is the first time I’m voting for three candidates at once,” said 27-year-old Moussa Ali Hissein in a repor by Reuters. “I hope they will deliver on promises, especially creating jobs for young people like me.”
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For others, like 31-year-old Abel Moungar, the stakes are higher. “We need better living conditions. I feared people wouldn’t vote, but I’m glad many turned up,” he said. Polls for military personnel and nomadic communities opened on Saturday, with general voting starting early Sunday morning.
Provisional results are expected by January 15, 2025, with the final tally due by January 31, 2025. However, some fear the elections, which follow Chad’s recent withdrawal from a defense pact with France, could deepen divisions. The country, a key ally in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel, also hosts over 600,000 Sudanese refugees fleeing conflict, according to the United Nations.
The opposition’s absence from the polls, particularly the boycott by Succes Masra’s Transformateurs party, raises questions about the legitimacy of the elections. Analysts say this vote could cement President Deby’s grip on power, even as Chadians call for jobs and stability.
