Assembly Extends Mandate of Deputies until 2026
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Loading... - Evans Boafo
- 18 Sep 2024
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Cameroon's National Assembly recently passed a bill extending the mandate of its deputies by one year, pushing the new deadline to March 2026. This decision was backed by the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), which holds the majority in parliament. The extension is designed to ease the national electoral calendar, which initially planned four elections in 2025. With this move, the legislative and municipal elections are postponed until after the 2025 presidential election.
This decision reflects the long-standing influence of President Paul Biya, who has been in power since 1982 and is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders. Biya’s political dominance continues, despite frequent accusations of electoral manipulation and a lack of genuine democratic reforms from opposition parties.
In the context of Cameroon's electoral rules, only political parties represented in the National Assembly, Senate, Regional, or Municipal Councils, or endorsed by 300 prominent individuals, can nominate presidential candidates. This poses a challenge for opposition leaders like Maurice Kamto, who boycotted recent elections due to demands for electoral reforms that were unmet .
