President Faustin-Archange Touadéra Wins 3rd Term in CAR by Landslide.
Initial poll outcomes confirm that President Faustin Touadéra of the Central African Republic has won a 3rd term with an decisive victory.
The sixty-eight-year-old president, a one-time math lecturer, was broadly expected to succeed after the primary opposition coalition boycotted the vote, pointing to worries over vote fairness.
The Debated Road to Victory
The president's campaign focused heavily on his stability record in a chronically unstable country.
"There was a methodical attempt to manipulate the outcome," alleged rival candidate Anicet Dologuélé.
He has faced heavy criticism since a 2023 change abolished term limits, paving the way for his ongoing run for office.
Election Details and Disputes
More than 2.4 million voters were enrolled for the December 28th presidential vote, which observers called largely peaceful notwithstanding logistical setbacks.
According to preliminary figures, the incumbent won seventy-six percent of the vote.
- His closest rival, former Prime Minister Anicet Dologuélé, received 15%.
- Another ex- prime minister, Henri Dondra, trailed with three percent.
Both rivals have called for the results to be invalidated, claiming extensive malpractices and fraud.
The government has categorically denied these claims.
A Nation Stuck in Crisis
The Central African Republic remains one of Africa's least developed and most unstable countries, despite its wealth of minerals like precious stones and uranium.
The landlocked country has been engulfed in violence since rebels seized power.
A peace deal helped reduce tensions, though several armed groups later pulled out from the pact.
Geopolitical Repercussions
Experts note that Touadéra's win could further the influence of the Russian Federation, which has offered security assistance in exchange for access to lucrative resources.
The CAR was among the first African states where the Russian private military company the Wagner Group became operational, providing security to the administration.
The nation's top court has until 20 January to rule on any appeals and announce the official results.
