The Supreme Court declared on Thursday, December 28, the final results of the constitutional referendum held on December 16 and 17. Over eight million Chadians were called to vote on the Constitution project, aimed at restoring constitutional order through elections. While the organizing commission had already released provisional results, the Supreme Court confirmed them by a slight margin: “Yes” won with 85.90% of the votes, while “No” received 14.10%.
In the presence of government members, parliamentarians, and diplomats, the President of the Supreme Court, Samir Adam Annour, proclaimed the final results. The announcement followed the examination and rejection of appeals filed by political parties, including RNDT-Le Réveil.
Chadians now have a fundamental law that maintains the form of a decentralized unitary state, marking a victory for the “yes” coalition led by transitional Prime Minister Saleh Kebzabo.
Advocates for federalism had urged a “no” vote, asserting that only the form of a federal state could lift Chad out of underdevelopment. They highlighted the success of this model in other countries such as Nigeria and Germany.
Other groups that called for a boycott, gathered under the coalition of the Group for Consultation of Political Actors (GCAP), the Credible Opposition Front (FOC), and former Prime Minister Pahimi Padacké Albert, insisted on a biased process. They have requested the annulment of the results, but the Supreme Court did not heed their plea.